Author Topic: Atlantic Salmon Escape Storm Bay ??? (Read 2928 times)

theallrounder · « **on:** May 21, 2018, 10:08:30 am »

Heard a rumour that ALOT of Atlantic Salmon escaped from the Storm Bay sea cages during the recent storm ?

Has it that there are lots in the Derwent Estuary around Bruny and in Blackmans Bay ?

Can any one confirm > ???

Dan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 22, 2018, 07:19:48 am »

Wouldn't be surprised after the pens washing up in the last storm

. Haven't heard anything personally.

Paddlefish Tasmania · « **Reply #2 on:** May 22, 2018, 09:51:17 am »

Pens did wash ashore at Taroona? and auto-feeders at Kingston Beach.

The pens though were apparently empty and under maintenance so no mass escape unfortunately.

There was a capture of an Atlantic Salmon at Cremorne recently though.

B.Marriott · « **Reply #3 on:** May 22, 2018, 03:52:07 pm »

I second that, some were caught yesterday in cremorne canal, I’ve seen the photos aswell. Apparently they were even thicker last week but still around.

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Dan · « **Reply #4 on:** May 22, 2018, 03:58:42 pm »

Apparently several hundred thousand fish were lost during the storm. So plenty to be had if you're keen enough to get out there.

reddory · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2018, 03:52:42 pm »

Well, now the Mercury has run the story - so I guess every man and his dog will be about the place searching for them. The trick would be to figure out where they might have gone once they got their bearings - usually upstream if there's a freshwater flow to draw them. So maybe Blackman's Bay, the Pigeon Holes at South Arm, perhaps Bellerive Bluff, Rosny Point and on up from there would all be worth a look. Also perhaps a few could have found their way into North West Bay: try the channels around the mouth of NW Bay River, where it comes out at Dru Point. Any other suggestions?

Paddlefish Tasmania · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2018, 01:29:50 pm »

Fish are turning up everywhere now. from Cremorne to the Upper Derwent river. will be interesting to see if they are able to breed and form an active population

reddory · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2018, 08:31:13 pm »

Nice to dream, but I think it's unlikely. Salmon escapees have been swimming up the Huon since the mid-1980s; often in autumn I have caught them well upriver beyond Judbury as well as into the Russell and Little Denison, and have heard of captures in the Weld. Often they have been well advanced into spawning condition - females dripping ripe roe, males spilling milt, and clearly on their way upriver as the fresh rains come down, with only one thing on their mind. I have to assume that they sometimes have found suitable spawning grounds, and have managed to spawn - as on occasion, I have caught young Atlantics in "smolt", only just losing their parrr marks as they travel back downstream. That was happening long before any of the hatcheries were established on those rivers, so these fish must have been bred wild.

However, I have never seen any adult fish that looked like they had returned to the river(s) from the wild. The problem with Atlantic salmon (and other anadromous fish) is that after hatching and having their early development (around 12-18 months) in fresh water, they must go into the sea to feed and grow, before maturing and coming back to spawn in the river(s) in which they themselves were bred.

All efforts in the past to establish salmon around Tasmania have failed, and the science suggests that is because once they get out into the ocean they can't find their way back, as there are no notable ocean currents around the Tasmanian coast that they can follow to orientate themselves for the return.

Still, it's good to dream, eh?

Paddlefish Tasmania · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2018, 09:35:55 am »

some really good points there Reddory and thanks for taking the time to write a detailed reply.

It's been interesting to see where they have turned up and they seem to, as you have said, be trying to head into rivers in spawning time behaviour.

Whilst there have been escapee's for years and every attempt to establish them has failed, have we really ever had possibly 100's of thousands released, into the ocean, at one time?

The odd's may well be in their favour this time?

theallrounder · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2018, 04:57:18 pm »

Word is there is a concentration of Atlantics inside Adventure Bay as the pens were just around the corner !!

Some being caught from the Jetty

-----> Boat and landing net would be a better bet when the weather is good !

If you are on Bruny ---------> go get 'em !!

Cheers

mahimahi · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2018, 08:14:21 am »

Would be fair to say that they'll be around for a while yet enjoying the freedom. Hoping to target a few on the weekend

reddory · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2018, 09:25:54 am »

Quote from: Paddlefish Tasmania on May 29, 2018, 09:35:55 am

some really good points there Reddory and thanks for taking the time to write a detailed reply.

It's been interesting to see where they have turned up and they seem to, as you have said, be trying to head into rivers in spawning time behaviour.

Whilst there have been escapee's for years and every attempt to establish them has failed, have we really ever had possibly 100's of thousands released, into the ocean, at one time?

The odd's may well be in their favour this time?

This may be a bit of an event by current standards, but in years past, when fish-farming technology was a bit more basic, there have been instances of whole pens being emptied: that's generally anything up to 100,000 fish. The aquaculture companies didn't broadcast it, as it wouldn't be great public relations - but there certainly were some large-scale escapes, mostly in the lower Channel / Dover / Huon estuary areas. And as I said, there's no evidence that any kind of resident population has ever established from them.

Some (those that are sexually mature) may make it up a river to spawn; most will simply mill around in a bewildered state, getting gradually thinner until they fade away and become food for other aquatic creatures. Best thing, as theallrounder said, is "Go get 'em" while they're there.

Paikea · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2018, 05:00:31 pm »

"Some (those that are sexually mature) may make it up a river to spawn; most will simply mill around in a bewildered state, getting gradually thinner until they fade away and become food for other aquatic creatures."

Does that sounds familiar to other oldies?

Cheers

Paikea

reddory · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2018, 01:57:23 pm »

Ha, ha, yeah: thanks, Hank!

(bewildered)

proka · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2018, 08:52:53 pm »

The old mans been setting his net along the Lauderdale, Seven Mike Beach and Cremorne shoreline and doing real well

I’ve got a constant supply of free smoked, gravlax and fresh salmon coming my way on a regular basis

Sucked in to the salmon farms.