‘First time ever’: Protesters block Tassal ship from ‘dumping’ salmon

Protesters have returned to a Tasmanian salmon farm in the state’s south for a second day - this time scaling pens. PICTURES AND VIDEO >>

Anti-salmon protesters are back in Long Bay again for a second consecutive day, this time climbing aboard salmon pens.

Tuesday saw a blockade organised by the Bob Brown Foundation and Tasman Peninsula locals prevent Tassal Ship Aqua Spa from mooring at pens for a number of hours.

An activist on Tuesday stepped it up a notch, climbing aboard a pen holding a sign which stated; “Say no! to Tassie toxic salmon”.

Bob Brown Foundation Fish Farms Campaigner Alistair Allan said the latest demonstrations were a last resort against the industry which they claim is not willing to engage through civil channels.

“The industry has left us no choice,” he said.

“The community has tried every channel in the book to address this environmental disaster, from meeting with Tassal, meeting with government, holding town hall meetings, writing letters, and signing petitions.

“All of this has fallen on deaf ears.”

A Tasmania Police spokeswoman said authorities are monitoring the situation.

Tassal has been contacted for comment.

More to come …

‘First time ever’: Protesters block Tassal ship in salmon standoff - August 23

A large Tassal ship was blocked from “dumping” salmon into Long Bay on Tuesday morning by environmentalists sailing small boats in a never-before-seen protest spanning three hours.

Tasman Peninsula locals and Bob Brown Foundation environmentalists claim they halted Tassal’s operations “for the first time ever” in the early hours of Tuesday, as they prevented its vessel, the Aqua Spa, from mooring.

The vessel was set to moor alongside 16 empty “monstrous fish pens” and pump “live juvenile salmon into the open cages”, the Bob Brown Foundation said.

However, when the two boats approached the ship, the pilot was forced to grind the ship to a halt.

Protesters prevent a large Tassal ship from releasing salmon into Long Bay on Tuesday morning.

Locals had been pleading with Tassal for months to not fill the Long Bay pens with salmon but instead remove them, as recommended by the three-year inquiry into the finfish farming industry.

Bob Brown said Tasmania Police were called and asked the protesters to move on, which they did.

“We had a three-hour period in which the (environmentalists) out there kept this 4000-ton ship full of fish ready to be dumped into Long Bay, at bay,” Mr Brown said.

“Long Bay is one of the most beautiful little coves in Tasmania and that’s saying something.

“Now they’re going to return salmon into those pens and through that process, (return) tons of fish faeces into this already largely destroyed marine ecosystem.”

The small boats block the Tassal’s ship path to the pens.

Mr Brown said the protest had been “in the pipeline” and was not sparked by the recent Tassal takeover by Canadian seafood giant Cooke.

He said the protesters were out in the cold on Tuesday morning “defending their country”.

“If the government thinks it’s going to put an end to people’s longing to protect their environment by bringing in draconian laws to criminalise protesters, they are so wrong,” he said.

Protester Alistair Allan said Tuesday’s “resistance” was the result of Tassal refusing to listen to the community.

“Neither Tassal nor the government has done anything to address community concerns so, they have left us no choice but to defend this beautiful pace ourselves,” Mr Allan said.

“Tasmanians have had enough of the toxic salmon industry destroying our waterways.

“It is time for these pens to get out of the water.

“Long Bay was once a pristine alcove on the Tasman Peninsula.

“Now, like every site fish farms are put in, it has been trashed.”

Alistair Allan aboard one of the small boats.

Mr Allan said Long Bay was an example of the “shallow, protected and biodiverse waters” the finfish inquiry recommended are freed of pens.

“The Legislative Council thinks (the pens) should be gone, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies is releasing reports confirming salmon farms are impacting the ecosystem, yet somehow this toxic industry, with the government in their pocket, thunders on,” he said.

“Unless this industry starts to get out of Tasmania’s waters, the Bob Brown Foundation will meet the toxic salmon industry head on.

“These community pushbacks will only grow.”

A Tassal spokesman said the boats “interrupted safe passage” of its vessel to its salmon farm.

“Marine police were notified, arrived on-site and dispersed the boats,” the spokesman said.

“We resumed safe operations within three hours.

“The safety of our people and animals is our priority and our crew and farm staff acted professionally to protect them.”

The protesters were asked to move on by Tasmania Police.

A Tasmania Police spokeswoman confirmed police were in attendance.

“Two small boats had reportedly blocked another vessel,” she said.

“Police attended the scene and formally directed the two boats on without incident.

“Inquiries into the incident are continuing.”

Originally published as ‘First time ever’: Protesters block Tassal ship from ‘dumping’ salmon