Tassal, Tasmania’s largest salmon producer, regularly relocates seals from the vicinity of its fish farms in southern Tasmania to the state’s north-west coast.
Tassal capture seals that are trying to jump into the cages, posing a threat to the caged salmon and damaging the nets. Last month the company caught 459 seals and translocated them to the north-west coast, where they were released.
Local fishermen told ABC news the seals are now destroying their fishing nets and are following boats, attacking sea birds, penguins and albatross, and make fishing some species in the waters untenable.
Seal proof infrastructure
Liberal MP Adam Brooks said there had been a huge increase in the number of seals in the area and demanded the relocation practice stop.
The state’s other two major salmon producers, Petuna and Huon Aquaculture, do not relocate seals because they have installed a seal-proof infrastructure.
