Huon Aquaculture says cleaning operations likely caused net tear and fish escape

One of Tassie’s biggest salmon producers has admitted fault over 120,000 salmon that escaped into the Derwent River – providing a massive boon for fishos – and revealed the likely cause. LATEST >>

• Salmon escape management ‘a circus’, environment groups say
• BIBLE: How to catch an escapee salmon
• Tackle shops report a fishing frenzy in Tassie

UPDATE: Huon Aquaculture has admitted its own cleaning operations likely caused a mass salmon escape earlier this month.

On December 2, about 120,000 salmon escaped from one of the company’s pen in Storm Bay following a net tear.

Only a week prior, on November 26, around 50,000 4kg Atlantic salmon escaped from another of the farm’s pens after a fire.

A Huon Aquaculture spokeswoman on Friday said extensive internal investigations including multiple discussions with on-water crew, analysis of vessel movements and assessment of works plans found the tear was most likely caused during net cleaning operations.

The spokeswoman said it was always “regrettable” when fish were lost.

“The initial uncertainty around the cause was due to inconsistent GPS data about the location of vessels near the lease,” the spokeswoman said.

“We are reassured this incident has a valid explanation.

“At the time of the incident, we were unclear as to the cause as information to hand did not readily identify a valid operational cause.

“Net cleaning is a complex task, with crew working with multiple pieces of equipment including generators, electrical and mechanical pressure pump systems, high and low voltage motors and associated parts.”

The company said it had implemented a range of actions to strengthen operational processes including the installation of ROV cameras on every net cleaning vessel and additional equipment training.

The cause of a fire in late November at a pen in the Lower Channel that also resulted in the company losing more than 50,000 4kg salmon fire remains inconclusive so further investigations are underway.

Both incidents were reported to the Environment Protection Authority.

SCIENTISTS STUDY IMPACTS OF SALMON ESCAPES

December 7

WITH thousands of fish on the loose through Tasmanian waterways, scientists are now working to study the impacts of Atlantic salmon escapes.

On Wednesday, about 120,000 salmon escaped from a Huon Aquaculture pen in Storm Bay following a net tear.

A fire the previous week had also resulted in the company losing more than 50,000 4kg salmon.

Both incidents were reported to the Environment Protection Authority and remain under internal investigation.

An EPA spokeswoman said the company was keeping it posted on their investigation’s progress, but in the meantime scientists are working to learn from the incidents.

An Atlantic salmon.

“The EPA is working with Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and scientists at IMAS to conduct research with the aim of understanding fish dispersal, catch trends and potential ecological impacts of salmon escapes in relation to this event in Storm Bay and the fish escape last week in the lower D’Entrecastaeux Channel,” she said.

“IMAS will be providing information about the current survey through its Facebook page.”

IMAS is calling for citizen scientists to help out when they go fishing.

On their Facebook post, they ask fishers to record the date and location they fish, the number of salmon caught, and the salmon’s stomach contents.

“IMAS research following a major escape event in Storm Bay in 2018 indicated that there was only limited evidence to suggest active feeding by escapee Atlantic salmon on native fauna,” the EPA spokeswoman said.

Follow @kaseywilkins95