As well as SEVEN olympic swimming pools of dead salmon dying in 2025 because of various factors including that Tasmanian waters are TOO WARM for this poor fish, we now know that a further 9000 tonnes of salmon died in the first three months of 2026.

No one is eating these dead salmon - they died because of disease and/or poor practice. 
That was at least FOUR MILLION salmon dead last year and now a further 1.8 million salmon dead this year SO FAR.

This is NOT good enough and the penalties under the Animal Welfare Act must be enforced.

The UNDER-regulation and lack of response by the RSPCA is appalling. 
And Tasmanians must be asked - do you think this is acceptable?

We are calling on the Chair of the Tasmanian Parliamentary Standing Committee of Public Accounts to formally request that the Auditor General conduct an audit of the regulation of salmon farming in Tasmanian and to report back as to how and when NRE and/or the RSPCA has correctly enforced the Animal Welfare Act which states that a person must not cause or allow an act that causes unreasonable/unjustifiable pain or suffering to an animal; [and if] cruelty results in death or serious injury to an animal, tougher penalties apply.

We now know that at least 5.8 million salmon have died over the past 15 months. This is appalling!! The RSPCA responds when individuals are alleged to have harmed one animal or some animals during farming practices but here we have at least 5.8 million fish suffering inhumane deaths and there are a lot of weasel words being spoken and expensive propogandist advertisements are made about the industry but we have NO appropriate regulatory action.

We demand immediate action!

I'll keep this petition open for another fortnight and then the letter with the petition results (deidentified) will be sent to the Chair of the Tasmanian Parliamentary Standing Committee of Public Accounts to formally request that the Auditor General conduct an audit of the regulation of salmon farming in Tasmanian and to report back as to how and when NRE and/or the RSPCA has correctly enforced the Animal Welfare Act which states that a person must not cause or allow an act that causes unreasonable/unjustifiable pain or suffering to an animal; [and if] cruelty results in death or serious injury to an animal, tougher penalties apply.

In addition the petitioners are requesting that the following be audited:

1. The planning that went into salmon farming prior to its commencement on this archipelago, the routine planning and evaluation meetings that occur, and the regularity of planning meetings for the future capacity for this industry to remain viable in these waters; and the availability of meeting minutes to the public.
2. The responses of regulatory bodies (including the EPA, the RSPCA, the NRE professionals, and others) to the enormous amount of salmon deaths in 2025 from disease and poor farming practice; and the over 9000 tonnes of dead salmon in 2026 so far this year. And where regulation is inadequate, what is being done to rectify the situation.
3. Does the Animal Welfare Act need to be revised given the alarming lack of regulation of this industry.
4. The responses of regulatory bodies to the illegal and dangerous dumping of dead salmon into the sea and onto the land of this archipelago. And where regulation is inadequate, what is being done to rectify the situation
5. Given the rising temperatures of the sea waters around this archipelago, the regular evaluations that are required before licences are extended, and the extreme danger of providing long licence periods, given that the industry may not be sustainable. And the regulation of the provision of licences, including on the East Coast of Tasmania the transmogrification of a licence for the processing of scallops and oysters into a full-blown salmon farm licence. And where regulation is inadequate, what is being done to rectify the situation.
6. The regulation of noise pollution. And where regulation is inadequate, what is being done to rectify the situation.
7. The regulation of light pollution. And where regulation is inadequate, what is being done to rectify the situation.

This petition was started by a small group of Tasmanians, with a lead who has 30 years working in the State Public Service and will pen the letters required to the personnel who need to take action.