Sunday, 17 September 2017 

Southern right whale and her white calf

“Sea Shepherd is proud to offer its support to today’s #OKEFLOAT flotilla protest against the introductions of fish farms in the pristine waters of Tasmania’s Okehampton Bay. The salmon farming company, TASSAL, has plans to put 28 netted pens filled with 800,000 fish in an area that is a critical nursery for the southern right whale,” stated Sea Shepherd Australia spokesperson Adam Burling.

“These fish farms are in the middle of a documented calving area for the whale. The Australian Government’s Department of Environment and Energy determined the development ‘could have a significant impact’ on endangered southern right whales. No impact on these rare and incredible creatures is acceptable. This reason alone should to stop the development from occurring,” said Mr Burling

“The risk of entanglement in nets by southern right whales or their calves is very real. It could devastate local populations of this beautiful species. It is great to see the Tasmanian community rally to protect this unique marine environment. Sea Shepherd backs those taking a stand for our oceans and against this major threat to whales in the region”, said Mr Burling

“As Tasmanian Southern Right Whale the population fights back from the brink of extinction and comes back to a place that was once their home, their birthing grounds, they are met with a new threat, in the expansion of these ecological destructive fish farms. In the early days, the whales trust in us led them to receive a bloody harpoon, lets not break this trust again, and provide them with a safe haven, not filled with these destructive and polluting fish farms,” said Sea Shepherd Australia’s Managing Director Jeff Hansen.

southern right whale breaching