Australian salmon association chief executive slams claims of "deformed" fish in Tasmania waters

The chief executive of an association of salmon farmers in the Australian state of Tasmania has questioned claims by an environmental activist group that salmon found in some of the state's waters exhibited deformities and other signs of sickness.

Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin has called out the Green Britain Foundation (GBF) for distributing video footage of what it said were diseased factory-farmed salmon swimming in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour.

GBF said the footage of the deformed salmon was taken earlier this month. However, Mr Martin has questioned the origin of the recording and how it was obtained while assuring that Macquarie Harbour is, "in the best health it’s been in for more than a decade," as validated by Environment Protection Authority Tasmania.

Mr Martin told local news outlet Pulse Tasmania that the state's salmon farmers implement rigorous quality control measures at each step during harvest and production, thus ensuring the quality of the fish.

Mr Martin criticised the GBF for having, "zero understanding of the robust regulatory framework and environmental monitory in Macquarie Harbour."