The Bob Brown Foundation are raising concerns over an application to use underwater explosives to scare seals away from salmon farming operations in Tasmania.
Tasmanian salmon producer Tassal is seeking permission from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) to use acoustic deterrent devices (ADD) to keep aggressive seals away from its farming pens after recording 16 aggressive seal encounter in the last 12 months.
The company argues that it cannot provide a safe working environment for its workers, but animal welfare activists say an approval would be ‘detrimental to the state’s sea life’.
“Seal bombs are explosive pyrotechnic devices that detonate below the surface producing intense impulsive sound frequencies that can cause pain to seals, porpoises and whales,” the Bob Brown Foundation says.
“Numerous studies [have found] seal bombs can cause hearing loss, bone fractures, soft tissue burns, other physical trauma and potentially death to seals as well as other marine life.”
The use of seal bombs or ADD is already allowed by the Tasmanian salmon industry under state law, but prohibited under ASC salmon farming regulations.
“If approved, it will mean Tassal can continue to market their ASC product to shoppers as ‘responsibly farmed’.”
Other marine advocates have called the issue of salmon certification a ‘sham’ and called for Tassal to be un-certified if the request is approved.
“We call on ASC to reject the request for Tassal to continue its harm to our native protected seals,” Jessica Coughlan from Neighbours of Fish Farming said.
“Consumers should be outraged that Tassal farms have been allowed to get away with the use of seal bombs for the past ten years despite the ASC prohibiting it.”
The Salmon industry says aggressive interactions from seals are not uncommon and that ADD is an important last line of defence against seal-related mortality and welfare issues for the salmon.
State data shows a decrease in the use of ADD, from 27,000 in 2016 to less than 1,000 units in 2022.
