Six members of an anti-fish farming group have been detained by Victoria Police following a 5 hour protest at the Point Hope Shipyards.
About 7 am Wednesday the group boarded a dry-docked vessel belonging to Marine Harvest, climbed the mast, hung a banner, and refused to leave.
Supporter Noah Stewart says Victoria Police arrived and ordered them from the property, but he says some climbed to the top of the mast and refused to leave.
" They remained. They have since been arrested. The very last Defender was removed after securing themselves, they climbed to the very top mast of the ship, and secured themself to the mast of the ship because they refused to willingly give up their responsibility to protect the water."
The activists maintain open pen-net fish farming is cruel to farmed salmon, and exposes wild salmon to disease and other harms.
Marine Harvest spokesman Jeremy Dunn credits police and Victoria Fire Department for resolving the situation, noting protesters put themselves in peril:
" It was a very unsafe manoeuvre by these protesters to board the vessel without any training or fall restraint. And to climb the mast they were significantly above the ground, and certainly put themselves in great danger."
Dunn says fish farming contributes over a billion to the provincial economy, adding Marine Harvest's production is done in partnership with First Nations, produces healthy in-demand food, provides jobs for 600 people.