Department of Health warning issued over fish caught near Tasmanian salmon pens
Tasmania's health department has warned fishers not to eat fish caught within a 3km zone of salmon pens being treated with a newly approved antibiotic. The latest.
Tasmania’s Department of Health has issued an alert to fishers about exposure to an antibiotic set to be used to treat diseased salmon.
The use of the antibiotic florfenicol to treat infected salmon in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and nearby waters received federal approval on Friday.
It is the first time the antibiotic has been approved for use in Australian aquaculture.
In an alert issued on Friday afternoon, health department public health director Mark Veitch recommended people not consume fish caught within three kilometers of a salmon pen being treated with florfenicol – both during the treatment period and for 21 days after it ends.
Dr Veitch said that while there was no evidence of harm to human health from consuming traces of florfenicol, recreational fishers may want to avoid exposure to antibiotic residues in the fish that they catch and eat.
“Eating fish caught 3 kilometres away will not completely remove the chance of consuming antibiotic residues,” Dr Veitch said.
“However, it is reasonable to assume that the closer a fisher is to a pen being treated during and shortly after treatment – the more likely it is they may catch a fish with traces of florfenicol.
“After 21 days it is very unlikely that wild fish – even those caught within 3 kilometres of treated pens – will have any detectable traces of florfenicol.”
Florefenicol is commonly used in veterinary medicine, agriculture and acquaculture.
Its approval for use in Tasmania comes after a series of mass salmon mortality incidents between January and April caused by an endemic bacterial disease, P. salmonis.
Salmon Tasmania CEO John Whittington acknowledged while some people were nervous about its use, it was vital to protecting Tasmanian aquaculture practices.
“Science shows us that florfenicol is not only the most effective way to treat our salmon, but it is safe for consumers and the best antibiotic option when it comes to our environment too,” Dr Whittington said.
“In terms of the environment, florfenicol breaks down in seawater rapidly, it is safe for other marine life, and requires a lower volume than any other antibiotics available for treatments.
“In terms of consumers, science and experience show that florfenicol treated salmon are 100 per cent safe to eat, with consumers across the world eating salmon treated with florfenicol for decades.
“…It is important that salmon farmers have this additional tool in their toolbox ahead of summer as part of a comprehensive health and welfare management plan.”
Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said its approval was “deeply concerning” due to florfenicol’s unknown impacts on marine environment and wild fish.
She said monitoring planned to be undertaken by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) would be “totally inadequate”.
“We should be to destocking cages to prevent disease outbreak, not dumping hundreds of kilograms of antibiotics into Tasmanian waters after they’ve occurred,” Dr Woodruff said.
“The Greens will be doing everything we can to ensure there is full transparency on disease outbreaks and the use of this antibiotic.”
Independent MP Peter George said it posed repercussions for anti-biotic resistance.
“The World Health Organization (warned) that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health globally, including through increasing use of antibiotics in farmed animals,” Mr George said.
“None of this is good practice.
“I fully expect the planned inquiry into the industry to thoroughly explore the spread of disease in farmed salmon and its use of tonnes of antibiotics.”
More information about the sites where the drug is being used will be released on the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) website.
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