Tasmanian salmon farmer caught penning seals against rules

An aquaculture firm is being probed for breaching laws by holding groups of protected fur seals without approval.

A seal patrols the perimeter of a salmon farm in northern Tasmania.

Australia’s largest aquaculture company is under investigation after breaching state regulations by holding groups of wild, protected fur seals together in a pen for up to five days without approval.

Tassal, which farms salmon in pens around Tasmania, is understood to have held up to 20 seals in a 120m-circumference fish pen for up to five days.

Protocols mandate that seals captured on aquaculture leases be held separately in approved cages, and for no more than 48 hours ­before release at approved relocation sites. The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment said it was investigating the breach.

Tassal admitted the breach, which it blamed on an explosion in the numbers of seals around its farms since the start of winter.

“(It) was done as a safety precaution to protect workers and seals before relocation,” said ­Tassal sustainability chief Linda Sams.

“We never harmed any seals in holding them prior to relocation and no seals have died as a result of relocation. We were in a situation where we had to relocate more seals than we have had to in the past. In that situation we did work outside the guidelines. ”

This week The Australian revealed Tassal had applied to the government to hold seals in groups in pens for days at a time, pending relocation. However, Tassal and the government did not disclose the company had been caught already holding seals in this manner.

Yesterday, Tassal revealed it had been issued a “temporary permit” to hold seals in groups “while we work through the situation with the wildlife branch”.

Humane Society International marine scientist Jessica Morris said the practice raised significant concerns for the seals’ welfare and should be put to an ethics committee. She said there was a risk of stress from capture and injuries from fighting among male seals penned together.