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Tasmania salmon farms deployed 150,000+ underwater explosives to deter seals since 2016

Government data reveals the scale of seal deterrent use across three major salmon producers, with Huon Aquaculture accounting for two-thirds of recent explosions.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 1d ago6 pieces42 likes & upvotes4 comments NewswiresMastodonGoogle News

What to know

  • Tasmanian salmon farms have deployed 150,488 underwater explosives to deter seals since 2016, with 1,800 in H1 2026 alone.
  • Huon Aquaculture accounts for two-thirds of recent explosive use despite an overall industry decline since 2021; Tassal's use is rising sharply again.
  • 48 seals have died at Tasmanian salmon farms since 2021; neither Huon nor Tassal has committed to a firm phaseout date for explosives.
  • The practice became public focus after Richard Flanagan's 2021 book Toxic, leading to transparency measures and initial reductions in use.

“Since the start of 2016, the three salmon companies operating in Tasmanian marine areas – Huon Aquaculture, Tassal and Petuna – have deployed 150,488 underwater explosives.”

Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Government regulator · The Guardian ↗ · Sep 20

Huon Aquaculture Salmon producer (JBS-owned)Tassal Salmon producerPetuna Salmon producerDepartment of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE Tas) Government regulator

Tasmania salmon farms deployed 150,000+ underwater explosives to deter seals since 2016
theguardian.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

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yesterdaytodaynow · 11:12 PM ET
  1. 1

    Huon Aquaculture says it is evaluating wildlife safety upgrades

    In response to questions about its phaseout policy and high explosive use at Storm Bay leases, Huon did not answer directly but said it was evaluating initiatives to improve wildlife safety, including infrastructure upgrades and new deterrent technologies.

    “This includes upgrades to existing infrastructure, adoption of new technologies to deter wildlife, and engagement with specialist consultants to assess and reduce interaction risks.”
    — Huon Aquaculture spokesperson
    • earleyedition@aus.social

      Since the start of 2016, the three salmon companies operating in Tasmanian marine areas – Huon Aquaculture, Tassal and Petuna – have deployed 150,488 underwater explosives to deter seals https://www. theguardian.com/australia-news /2026/sep/22/underwater-explosives-used-to-deter-seals-at-tasmanian-salmon-farms-since-2016?utm_medium=d_social

      earleyedition@aus.socialMastodon2d ago12▲view on Mastodon ↗
  2. background

    Government releases H1 2026 seal deterrent data; 150,000+ explosives total since 2016 — NRE Tas data released last week reveals salmon companies deployed almost 1,800 underwater explosives in the first half of 2026. Since 2016, the three companies have deployed 150,488 total explosives. Huon Aquaculture accounted for 1,126 of the H1 2026 explosions (two-thirds), with 892 at Storm Bay leases alone. Four seals died in H1 2026; 48 total since 2021.

  3. background

    Tassal's explosive use surges despite four-year decline trend — Tassal deployed 551 explosive devices in the first half of 2026, more than double the number in the same period in either of the two preceding years, reversing a four-year downward trend.

  4. background

    Huon Aquaculture responds to environmental incidents with PR campaign — After rotting salmon flesh washed up on beaches in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel in early 2025 and mass deaths at fish farms, Huon—now the largest salmon producer in Tasmania—launched a PR campaign including a video featuring seals swimming in the ocean.

  5. background

    NRE Tas begins releasing biannual seal deterrent data — Following a right-to-information request by the Tasmanian Inquirer, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment began releasing biannual data with company-by-company and month-by-month breakdowns of explosive use against seals.

  6. background

    Sharp decline in explosive use follows Richard Flanagan's Toxic — The use of underwater explosives against seals declined sharply following the April 2021 publication of Richard Flanagan's book Toxic, possibly reflecting public pressure and awareness.

  7. background

    Tasmanian salmon farms begin using underwater explosives to deter seals — Huon Aquaculture, Tassal, and Petuna begin deploying underwater explosive devices at fish farms across Tasmanian marine areas to prevent seals from accessing salmon cages.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets More than 150,000 underwater explosives used to deter seals at Tasmanian salmon farms since 2016

    first by The Guardian, 2d ago · also Guardian

and 1 smaller piece