The Tasmanian Chief Veterinary Officer has provided the below statement providing detail about the recent salmon deaths in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. These deaths are due to a bacteria. There is an investigation currently underway.
Statement from Tasmania’s Chief Veterinary Officer on salmon mortalities:
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is continuing their investigation into the recent salmon mortalities and how congealed fish oil washed up on shorelines in the southern D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
As Tasmania’s Chief Veterinary Officer, I recognise the community concerns about the presence of this material, and the increased number of mortalities at Tasmanian salmon farms within a short period of time.
Mortalities are a known aspect of salmon farming worldwide and are typically elevated during the summer months, when warmer waters and other factors affecting salmon health are more likely to occur.
The current salmon mortality event in the lower D’Entrecasteaux Channel is largely due to an endemic bacterium. Diagnostic testing has confirmed the bacterium known as Pisci-rick-ett-sia salmonis (P. salmonis). A complex genetic testing process was undertaken to confirm this information.
The P. salmonis organism has been determined in 2024 to be have been around since at least 2021. It was previously classified as the East Coast strain of the Tasmanian Rickettsia-Like Organism (TRLO-EC). This means that this strain of bacterium has been endemic to east and south east coastal waters.
P. salmonis fish bacterium does not grow in humans and do not present a human or animal health, or food safety risk. The bacterium also does not pose a risk to freshwater fish nor is it known to pose a threat to other marine (saltwater) species.
The Tasmanian salmonid industry with support from Government and the Fisheries Research Development Corporation, has invested heavily in research to develop a vaccine against this disease. Biosecurity Tasmania is also continuing to closely monitor fish health from the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and other areas of the State.
Kevin de Witte
Tasmania Chief Veterinary Officer
Department of Natural Resources and Environment