The study found of the world’s 18 penguin species, 14 have been recorded as by-catch in fishing gear.

It is estimated there are between 110,000 and 190,000 breeding pairs of little penguins (also known as fairy penguins) in Tasmania, with less than five per cent found on the state’s mainland. 

BirdLife Tasmania’s Dr Eric Woehler, provided the study with detailed evidence of widespread penguin entanglement and drowning around the state.

He said without proactive effort from the government, the future of the little penguins in Tasmania is at serious risk. 

“For almost 20 years the evidence has been mounting of little penguins drowned en masse in gillnets, yet virtually nothing has been done” he said.

“We will never know the true, horrific scale of penguins drowning as fisherfolk never report these incidents. 

“In Tasmania, there are some 10,000 registered gillnets, with who knows how many more unregistered and all of them are potential penguin killers.”

Gillnets are used as a common fishing method, with vertical panels of netting normally set in a straight line.

In Tasmania, gillnets may be set for up to six hours except in shark refuge areas where they are limited to two hours. 

Dr Woehler said most penguins are shallow diving, with little penguins only able to hold their breath for a couple of minutes and when caught in netting, can drown in just 30 seconds. 

Tasmanian Primary Industries and Water minister Jeremy Rockliff said the state government made changes in November 2015 to the Scalefish Fishery Management Plan, following a review and consultation informed by an IMAS research project. 

“The new plan has a range of measures in relation to gillnet usage that were specifically targeted at minimising impacts on wildlife – in particular little penguins,” Mr Rockliff said. 

“The changes included setting a minimum age for use of gillnets, requirements on time of day for setting  and when they must be removed to avoid high risk interaction periods.”

A number of Gillnet free areas for commercial and recreational fishing have been established across the state, including Godfreys Beach, Low Head, Lillico Beach and Parsonage Point in the North. 

Dr Woehler said the study should serve as a wake up call for further preventative action from the state government. 

“Fundamentally there is nothing on the North coast of Tasmania, in fact the majority of Tasmania’s coastline is not protected,” he said.

“We know where the penguin colonies are, we know that little penguins and other seabirds drown in gillnets, yet Tasmanian governments of both persuasions have refused to protect little penguins.”