Over 1,000 metric tons of salmon died in Macquarie Harbour feedlots during the period between September 2022 and March 2023, according to figures from Tasmania's Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE).

The data, released after a Right to Information inquiry by local group Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF), revealed that 1.149 million kilograms of salmon mortalities occurred during the period.

NOFF has urged salmon farming companies and the government to clarify the causes, citing concerns about overstocking and disease. Peter George, president of NOFF, criticized the industry's claims of high animal welfare standards, stating that these deaths represent over 10% of the reported stocking density in Macquarie Harbour.

While there was no significant rise in water temperature last summer to suggest natural causes, the salmon industry has previously faced issues with overstocking and disease. Huon Aquaculture, Tassal, and Petuna have also reported elevated mortality rates across Tasmania, though industry-wide tonnage remains undisclosed, according to NOFF.

The organization has accused both the industry and the government of a lack of accountability. "As these mortalities have occurred in Macquarie Harbour, a public waterway, we need an explanation from the industry about what the hell is happening there. It's likely a result of overstocking and disease -- a common issue in the salmon industry -- but the actual causes need to be publicly disclosed," George said.

Earlier this year, scientists advising the Australian government recommended a dramatic scaling back or complete removal of the salmon industry from Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour to prevent the extinction of the Maugean skate, Undercurrent News previously reported.

The farming sector has since responded by pointing to studies that suggest local skate populations have stabilized, which it attributes to adaptive strategies that it believes allow salmon farming to co-exist with the Maugean skate.