Dining out on fish escapes

Anglers win from salmon losses

AMATEUR fishers on the West Coast are reportedly landing bins full of salmon after two fish farm escapes in Macquarie Harbour.

EPA director Wes Ford said he had been notified by Petuna of two escapes of salmon smolt from its finfish lease in the harbour — one in early November and another last week.

“Petuna advised the EPA that they estimated the first escape to be about 50,000 small fish. Details about the second escape have not yet been provided to the EPA,” he said.

A spokesman for Petuna acknowledged the escape last month but said there was no incident last week.

In a video on the Wild Fishers for Sustainable Salmon Farms in Tasmanian Waters Facebook page, Matthew Morgan said he had asked the EPA to audit of salmon pens in the harbour. Mr Morgan said fishers on the West Coast had this week reported landing 4-5kg salmon — and lots of them.

Petuna said 50,000 small Atlantic salmon had escaped after storms damaged one of its pens in the harbour in November.

“The baby fish, each weighing around 250 grams, had recently been moved from Petuna’s hatchery at Cressy into the growing pen. They escaped when part of the pen’s net broke from its mooring during strong winds and rough seas,” the company said.

“As always, Petuna proactively reports fish losses across its farms.”

Petuna’s general manager, strategy and technical, Richard

Miller said the company was trying to prevent a similar situation occurring again.

“We are constantly looking for ways in which we can ensure better protection for our fish, especially given the increasing intensity of weather patterns across the nation,” he said.

The Greens raised concerns the freed fish could pose a biosecurity concern. Leader Cassy O’Connor said there were allegations the 120,000 farmed salmon that escaped from Storm Bay in storms last year were infected with pilchard orthomyxovirus. Research showed the escaped fish survived up to four months in the wild. Ms O’Connor said Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett must tell Tasmanians how many salmon have escaped, why, and if they posed a similar biosecurity threat.