'Huge amount' of antibiotics at salmon farm concerning, say Greens, expert
More than 2.7 tonnes of the antibiotic florfenicol were used at a single Tasmanian salmon farm lease over two months, raising environmental and public health concerns. Experts and the Greens party have expressed alarm over the large quantity released into marine environments and the lack of transparency about its spread. Despite the antibiotic use, nearly 9,000 tonnes of salmon still died from bacterial disease in the same period.
- ▪The Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority reported over 2.7 tonnes of florfenicol used at the Zuidpool lease in two months.
- ▪Florfenicol was detected in wild shellfish more than 10 kilometres away, leading to the revocation of its use permit.
- ▪Antibiotic resistance expert Mark Blaskovich warned that florfenicol's similarity to a human antibiotic could risk cross-resistance in bacteria.
- ▪Over 13,500 tonnes of fish died from Piscirickettsia salmonis last summer, and 9,000 tonnes died this summer despite antibiotic use.
- ▪The total amount of florfenicol released across eight other salmon leases remains undisclosed to the public.
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Amount of antibiotic florfenicol used at Tasmanian salmon farm lease concerning, say Greens, expertBy state political reporter Lucy MacDonald and Alexandra HumphriesTopic:Fishing and Aquaculture IndustryWed 29 Apr 2026 at 5:21amWed 29 Apr 2026 at 5:21amWed 29 Apr 2026 at 5:21amThe public has yet to be told how much of the antibiotic florfenicol has been used by Tasmania's salmon industry. (Huon)In short:The Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority says more than 2.7 tonnes of the antibiotic florfenicol were used at one salmon farm lease in just two months, an amount one expert says is a "huge amount".Information on how much of the antibiotic has entered public waterways from the eight other salmon leases has not been released to the public, despite assurances that it would be.What's…
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