The EPA confirmed around 700kg of the new antibiotic, florfenicol, has been dumped into the D’Entrecasteaux Channel by salmon farming companies in the last 13 days.
In context, this is more than 10% the amount of antibiotics used across all salmon farms over the last six years.
Norway produces more than half the world’s salmon, and Tasmania’s salmon production is miniscule by comparison. However, in the last two weeks Tasmanian salmon companies have used more antibiotics than Norway’s annual average – 500kg.
The EPA confirmed three salmon farming leases in the Channel, one near Bruny Island and two off Dover, have used more than 200kg each of florfenicol since November 7, when the antibiotic was approved for use in Tasmania to treat diseased salmon.
Summer has not even started and with it comes P. salmonis disease in farmed salmon likely to spread.
The rock lobster export industry has been shut down in the Channel area because of the dumping of florfenicol. Recreational fishers have been advised not to fish within 3km of the treatment site if they’re worried about residues.
Why has the Liberal Government not instead demanded fish farm companies to destock salmon from diseased pens to manage disease outbreaks?
The toxic salmon industry is polluting waterways, and locking fishers and other industries out of public waters.
The Premier’s threat to put the salmon farming industry “on notice” is hollow if he’s not going to regulate and require the destocking of diseased pens before this summer.
