Fishers rejoice as wild weather spawns salmon frenzy

THE wild weather which caused Hobart’s flood disaster has delivered an Atlantic salmon bonanza to anglers on the River Derwent.

A salmon farm pen washed up in Taroona during the flood. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

THE wild weather which caused Hobart’s flood disaster has delivered an Atlantic salmon bonanza to anglers.

The Greens have claimed that the May 10 maelstrom had caused the world’s largest-ever aquaculture fish escape.

“We have very credible reports that up to 600,000 salmon may have escaped from broken nets that had holes the size of trucks in the side of them,” the party’s environment spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said on Tuesday.

But like any good fishing story, there is some disagreement over size.

Huon Aquaculture chief executive Peter Bender confirmed that it had reported “some” fish losses from two pens to the Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment.

MORE: SALMON FARM DEBRIS WASHED UP BEACHES

Huon Aquaculture’s Peter Bender.

“Huon Aquaculture has been pioneering offshore farming for the last three years and unfortunately some salmon did escape from two pens after the feed bins inside the pens punched through the nets during the storm event, but nothing like the made-up number the Tasmanian Greens have alleged in the Tasmanian Parliament today,” he said in a statement.

“Of course we are disappointed that any fish have escaped but it was an exceptional weather event and escapes are rare.

“Huon was not contacted by the Tasmanian Greens before making the incorrect claims in Parliament today.”

The company said it was undertaking a review and would make “all necessary changes” to its operation.

A spokesman for Tassal said the company had experienced “zero escapes” during the storms.

Tasmanian Association for Recreational Fishing chief executive Mark Nikolai said every man and his dog would soon be on the water searching for the prized salmon.

“Once the weather settles it won’t take long for the recreational gillnetters to clean them up,” he said.

“History says that when they escape, the best method is to catch them with a gillnet.”

John Bessell, of Kingston, with a 2kg Atlantic salmon caught off Cremorne on Monday. Picture: ROB BESSELL

John Bessell and his son Rob headed to Cremorne on Monday after hearing that Atlantic salmon were on the bite in the area following a breach in Huon’s pens.

The pair caught one each, with both around 2kg.

“We heard a rumour that people were catching them there,” he said.

Mr Bessell said he had also heard Atlantic salmon were being caught in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel but didn’t believe they would last long.

“Once they’re out of the net they’re eventually eaten by seals or die of starvation as they are used to being pellet fed,” he said.

Mr Bessell said the last one he caught at Cremorne was about 20 years ago, so this catch was all the more sweeter. “It tasted pretty nice,” he said.

Rosalie Woodruff.

Ms Woodruff said she was concerned by the escape.

“We have to have confidence that the fish farm industry is prepared and is reporting all of the impacts from their activities,” she said.

“I don’t believe the world has seen the escape of 600,000 salmon before. This may well be an international first if it is confirmed to be true.

“The report we’ve heard is that salmon from one of the pens that escaped were infected with POMV which is a pilchard orthomyxovirus.

“That would pose a biosecurity threat for the industry and for the marine environment in general.”