‘Elevated mortality event’: Disturbing salmon discovery on beaches

A horrific sight is littering the sand of pristine Aussie beaches in what environmental advocates have deemed a “horror show”.

Disturbing photos have shown rotting salmon flesh and dead fish littering the sand of pristine beaches in what environmental advocates have deemed a “horror show”.

The salmon industry is currently grappling with a widespread outbreak of rickettsia bacterial disease, resulting in “elevated mortality events” at fish farms, peak body Salmon Tasmania said.

Images of the “nightmare”, submitted by residents to the Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) – which has then widely shared them on social media – show mounds of “stinking salmon fat” and carcasses washed ashore at Verona Sands and popular tourist destination Bruny Island in Tasmania’s southeast.

“The horror show continues. Bruny Island residents have sent us shocking images – salmon fat littering their pristine beaches with whole salmon carcasses also washing ashore,” the BBF captioned one series of photos.

“This is evidence of an industry completely out of control. All these factory farms do is cause pollution, suffering and death on Tasmania’s unique waterways.”

Fish matter washed up on Bruny Island. Picture: Bob Brown Foundation

In a statement, BBF Foundation Antarctic and marine campaigner, Alistair Allan, said a “crisis is unfolding on our waterways”, adding that the state’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) “must shut down these factory farms”.

The BBF has also circulated images of salmon carcasses floating in ocean pens.

Salmon Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin slammed the BBF’s content as “propaganda” at a time of heightened political scrutiny in the lead up to the federal election.

“These images do not show anything the industry has not already been very upfront and open about the situation we’re dealing with,” Mr Martin said.

“While mortalities are a fact of life in all livestock farming, our producers are right now under considerable pressure, managing the scale of this situation.”

Tasmania’s salmon farms are currently experiencing widespread outbreaks of rickettsia-like organisms. Picture: Bob Brown Foundation

‘A combination of disease, water temperatures and other factors have affected fish,’ Tasmania’s EPA said. Picture: Bob Brown Foundation

According to Salmon Tasmania, rickettsia-like organisms (RLO) in salmon can lead to, among other things, ulcers, necrotising hepatitis, meningitis, encephalitis, myocarditis, a fatal loss of appetite and haemorrhage.

The EPA said the disease is one of a combination of factors leading to the increase in recent fish deaths.

“Company veterinarians have described the issues as multifactorial,” the EPA told the ABC.

“A combination of disease, water temperatures and other factors have affected fish.

“The EPA has received multiple notifications of pens affected by mortalities above the reporting threshold in recent weeks.”

Photos taken last week 'show rotting salmon in cages while gross salmon chunks are washing ashore in Tasmania', the BBF said. Picture: Bob Brown Foundation

Affected fish are being treated with antibiotics, one of the salmon farms experiencing the outbreak, Huon Aquaculture, said in a statement.

“As farmers, the health of our fish is our top priority,” general manager Depha Miedecke said.

“Just like humans, pets and other farm animals, fish occasionally require medication.

“We are taking the proactive step of letting people know and in doing so we expect to st a new voluntary standard for the Tasmanian salmon farming industry on real time notification when antibiotic treatments occur.”

Ms Miedecke said Huon Aquaculture is “proud of the way we farm our salmon … and remain fully committed to ongoing innovation, sustainability, and the health of both our fish and the environment”.

Originally published as ‘Elevated mortality event’: Disturbing salmon discovery on beaches