Animal welfare claim launched against Tasmanian salmon industry by Animals Australia

Animals Australia is calling on Biosecurity Tasmania to launch an immediate investigation into what it says are serious animal welfare breaches within the state's Atlantic salmon farming industry. WARNING: This story contains video content that may cause distress. The complaint, seen by the ABC, argues that major companies Huon Aquaculture, Tassal Group and Petuna Aquaculture have engaged — and continue to engage — in conduct that contravenes the Animal Welfare Act in their management and treatment of farmed Atlantic salmon in aquaculture facilities across Tasmania. Animals Australia cited incidents such as mass fish mortalities as concerns. ( Supplied: Bob Brown Foundation ) Animals Australia say the salmon companies have breached sections: 6 [duty of care to animals], 7 [management of animals], 8 [cruelty to animals] and 9 [aggravated cruelty] of the state Act. "Over many years, millions of salmon have been dying prematurely amidst disease outbreaks, warming sea temperatures and animal welfare incidents," legal counsel for the organisation, Shatha Hamade, said. "Salmon are actually protected under the Animal Welfare Act. "The Act defines an animal as a live vertebrate animal that is not a human being, and that includes salmon, and there are no exemptions under the Act for the salmon industry. "If four million land animals — say cattle — died prematurely in this manner, there would be outrage. There would be regulatory intervention. "Just because these fish are suffering underneath the water does not mean that their suffering is not real." Shatha Hamade is concerned about the welfare of farmed salmon. ( ABC News: Andrew Ware ) Fin clipping, slaughter practice concerns In its complaint, Animals Australia argued fin-clipping, which involves removing the adipose fin — the small fin on the back near the tail — from live fish, breached the Act. Fin clipping is done for traceability purposes, and the practice is common in Tasmania. "Fin clipping involves the removal of the fin from the fish without any anaesthetic," Ms Hamade said. Atlantic salmon are protected under Tasmania's Animal Welfare Act. ( Huon ) Animals Australia also said routinely withdrawing feed for up to 72 hours before handling, transport or slaughter was another breach. It said current slaughter, stunning and bleeding practices could constitute breaches of the Act, while keeping salmon in warm, low-oxygen and disease-prone waters could lead to "foreseeable pain, suffering and death". "The welfare of fish within those pens is directly adversely affected by stocking density, biomass and the environmental conditions within each cage," the complaint said. "Atlantic salmon are typically slaughtered by percussive stunning followed by gill cutting and exsanguination (bleeding). "Where stunning is ineffective or incomplete, fish may remain conscious or regain consciousness before or during bleeding, exposing them to unnecessary pain, suffering and distress." Biosecurity Tasmania is the statutory authority responsible for protecting the state's agricultural industries and enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. It forms part of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. The ABC asked if it'll be investigating the claims raised by Animals Australia — the department said it has received the complaint and the matter is "currently being considered". 'Recycled and false allegations', salmon body says The ABC contacted Huon Aquaculture, Tassal Group and Petuna Aquaculture about the allegations. Salmon Tasmania, the state's peak body representing producers, responded on behalf of the companies and said salmon growers "are the most heavily regulated primary producers in the country". "Like any primary producer, Tasmanian salmon growers have a legal and ethical obligation to maximise the welfare of their animals. Growing and maintaining healthy animals is of paramount importance," Salmon Tasmania chief executive officer Dr John Whittington said. "No-one cares more about the health and welfare of these fish than the people who farm them. "Fish health is managed by qualified veterinarians and dedicated fish health teams, and farms adhere to internationally recognised standards developed specifically for farmed Atlantic salmon welfare. "These are nothing more than recycled and false allegations made by an organisation which has a stated goal of shutting down salmon farming." John Whittington says Tasmania's salmon industry is heavily regulated. ( ABC News: Madeleine Rojahn ) Mortality events, live fish in bins should be investigated From January to April 2025, a bacterial disease known as Piscirickettsia salmonis — or P. salmonis rickettsia — caused the mass deaths of salmon in pens in south-east Tasmanian waters. The dead fish came from pens in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, owned by Huon Aquaculture and Tassal. Footage from the time showed workers siphoning live salmon out of pens into a tub that was then sealed as the salmon continued to move. Data reported to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) showed that nearly 15,000 tonnes of dead salmon during that period went to waste facilities. "Despite the scale, seriousness and public prominence of these events, there is no evidence they have been effectively investigated by Biosecurity Tasmania," the complaint said. The Tasmanian government conducted a multi-agency debrief after the event, which described technical challenges in coordinating the response and difficulties with waste logistics and disease detection. Dead salmon were seen floating in fish pens in southern Tasmania during the 2025 bacterial outbreak. ( Supplied: Bob Brown Foundation ) The salmon farm companies involved apologised, but Animals Australia said there was scope for further investigation. "The unprecedented statewide mortality experienced during 2025 constitutes one of the most significant animal welfare events in the history of Australian aquaculture," the complaint said. Animal law expert says complaint 'significant' Bianka Atlas, a lawyer specialising in animal law and human rights in New Zealand, said it was "a significant and quite ambitious complaint". "It highlights an important regulatory question, which is [while] salmon farming is heavily regulated from an environmental, biosecurity and production perspective, that doesn't mean that animal welfare law ceases to apply." Ms Atlas said on face value, the complaint raised questions that should be investigated by the regulator. "Ultimately, whether any offence has occurred will depend on detailed evidence about particular operators and practices, and events; including what risk was foreseeable and what reasonable steps could have been taken to prevent or alleviate suffering," she said. "I wouldn't say that salmon farming, per se, breaches the Act but I think particular farming practices could potentially do so depending on the circumstances and the evidence. "From what I've read, there is certainly enough to warrant an investigation to see whether criminal charges should be pursued." 'Blatant cruelty' towards seabirds, seals, dolphins, activists say An Australian fur was found dead at the bottom of the Tassal salmon pen in June 2025. ( Supplied: NRE Tasmania ) Animals Australia is also asking Biosecurity Tasmania to investigate alleged animal welfare breaches in relation to seals, dolphins, seabirds and other wildlife injured in the process of salmon farming. "Seals, dolphins and water birds are dying as a result of the operation of this industry," Ms Hamade said. "This is a very serious issue, and this is blatant cruelty. "Seabirds are being entangled in salmon farm infrastructure, and seals and dolphins are being shot at with pellets, in order for the industry to deter them from these sea pens." Since 2022, all three of Tasmania's major salmon operators are owned by multinational companies.