Tasmanian salmon farms blocked from using antibiotic florfenicol after detection in wild fish 10km away

"The APVMA granted an emergency permit in November 2025 to allow the industry to use florfenicol to treat outbreaks of the bacterial disease piscirickettsiosis in fish farms in southern Tasmania, which had caused mass salmon deaths. More than 1 million salmon died at Tasmanian fish farms in February 2025 in what authorities and the industry described as an unprecedented mass death triggered by an outbreak of piscirickettsia salmonis bacteria."

"The authority notified the industry in February that it planned to suspend the permit after traces of the drug were found in wild fish species as much as 10km from the marine pens, unless the industry could provide evidence justifying its continued use. Information received by the APVMA on 2 March 2026 has been reviewed, and it has been concluded that there was no new data, or any evidence of measures that would address the APVMA's concerns."

"The use of the antibiotic was deemed an unacceptable risk to other marine species, but the truth is that the industrial fish farms are an unacceptable risk, in everything they do, to marine species. He said the reckless use of the antibiotic had been met with huge community concern from day one."

Australia's Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) suspended the use of florfenicol in Tasmanian salmon farms after determining the antibiotic poses unacceptable risks to other marine species. The emergency permit, granted in November 2025 to treat piscirickettsiosis bacterial outbreaks following mass salmon deaths, was revoked after traces of the drug were found in wild fish species up to 10km from marine pens. The APVMA notified the industry in February of its intention to suspend the permit unless evidence justified continued use. After reviewing information submitted on March 2, 2026, the authority found no new data or evidence of measures addressing its concerns. Environmental advocates argue industrial fish farms present broader risks to marine ecosystems beyond antibiotic use.

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