- When there’s something strange in our waterways, who you gonna call?
SALMON BUSTERS
Tracking and exposing Tasmania’s toxic salmon industry and its impacts on our waterways
Help inform us
- Use salmon busters to uncover the truth about the state’s factory farms of the sea and to report any secretive or suspicious activity you witness.
Report confidentially
- If you are an employee of Tasmania’s big salmon companies, you can anonymously report incidents here as well.
Salmon operations
Current warnings
Select an operation to find it on the map.
Where they farm
Leases in operation. Select a region to show its leases on the map.
Hectares of leases in operation. Select a company to show its operations on the map.
Approximatly 8.5 million salmon died (33,807 tonnes) in Tasmanian fish farms in the last 18 months.
Figure January 2025 to June 2026
- The fish count is an estimate, using an average farmed salmon weight of 4 kg (Huon Aquaculture). Data current to 30 June 2026.
287 Wildlife deaths
- Were reported since January 2021, including 80 killed under property protection permits. That’s 56 seals, 222 birds and 9 dolphins and other cetaceans.
31,709 seals targeted
- using seal crackers and underwater explosives since January 2021. Another 626 bean bag rounds were fired at seals.
25,696 tonnes of pollution released
- in the form of dissolved nitrogen into Tasmanian waters from 2020-21 to 2025-26, from 447,869 tonnes of salmon produced.
3,948kg antibiotics used in 2025
- across all Tasmanian salmon farms. 36,392 kg has been used since 2003.
Farmed salmon deaths each month
Tonnes of farmed salmon that died in Tasmanian fish farms each month, all companies. The worst month was February 2025, with 6,300 tonnes, about 1,575,000 fish.
Fish numbers are estimates using an average farmed salmon weight of 4 kg (Huon Aquaculture). Data current to 30 June 2026.
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Wildlife deaths at salmon farms
Wild animals reported dead at Tasmanian salmon farms each financial year. 287 in total since January 2021, including 80 killed under property protection permits. Hover over a bar to see which companies reported them.
Before July 2022 companies reported only seal deaths, so bird and cetacean deaths are missing from earlier years. 2020-21 covers January 2021 to June only. Figures are from company reports to the Tasmanian Government. Data current to 30 June 2026.
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Seal crackers set off at salmon farms
Seal crackers are small underwater explosives used to scare seals away from salmon pens. 31,709 have been set off at Tasmanian salmon farms since January 2021. Huon Aquaculture set off 23,651 (75%), Tassal 5,106 (16%) and Petuna 2,952 (9%).
2020-21 covers January 2021 to June only. Figures are from company reports to the Tasmanian Government. Data current to 30 June 2026.
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Dissolved nitrogen from salmon farms
Estimated tonnes of dissolved nitrogen released into Tasmanian waters by salmon farms each financial year. About 25,696 tonnes from 2020-21 to 2025-26, and 4,260 tonnes in 2025-26 alone.
Estimated from production: each tonne of salmon takes about 1.35 tonnes of feed, about 5% of feed is released as nitrogen and 85% of that is dissolved (Tassal environmental impact statement, 2005, pages 12 and 40). That is about 0.057 tonnes of dissolved nitrogen per tonne of salmon. Production figures are from Salmon Tasmania and are assumed to be whole-fish weight, the conservative choice. Data current to 30 June 2026.
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Antibiotic use by salmon farms
Kilograms of antibiotics used by Tasmanian salmon farms each year. 6,224 kg in total from 2021 to 2025. In 2025 the industry used 3,948 kg, about 22 times the 2024 amount and the most since 2008.
Kilograms of active antibiotic, all Tasmanian salmon farms combined. Figures are not broken down by company, and the source does not say whether years are calendar or financial years. Figures back to 2003 are in the downloadable data. Data current to 30 June 2026.
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The salmon giants polluting Tasmania
- Tasmania’s coastal waters are carved up by three foreign-owned salmon giants: Tassal, Huon Aquaculture and Petuna. Their factory farm operations stretch across the state, driving species toward extinction, polluting World Heritage waterways and killing wildlife in their nets. Meet the companies behind the toxic salmon industry.
Tassal Operations
- Number of operations: 25
- Active leases (size): 1,298 ha
- Current warnings: 5
- Total wildlife deaths: 220
Petuna Aquaculture
- Number of operations: 5
- Active leases (size): 452 ha
- Current warnings: 4
- Total wildlife deaths: 10
Huon Aquaculture
- Number of operations: 11
- Active leases (size): 1,265 ha
- Current warnings: 4
- Total wildlife deaths: 57
- For community members
Report environmental impacts near fish farms
- If you live near factory fish farms, hatcheries, or transport routes, your observations can help protect local waterways and wildlife. Use this form to share what you’ve seen, from injured seals and debris to pollution or algal blooms. Photos and details are encouraged.
- For industry workers
Report an Incident Anonymously
- If you are an employee of Tasmania’s big salmon companies, you can anonymously report incidents here as well.
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Secure reporting address
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