What is Florfenicol?
Florfenicol is an antibiotic used in many countries for veterinary medicine, agriculture and aquaculture, including salmon farms.
Does Florfenicol have any impacts on human health?
There are no reports of adverse human health effects from exposure to traces of florfenicol in meat or fish.
However, recreational fishers may choose to avoid exposure to antibiotic residues (the traces of florfenicol) in the fish that they catch and eat. Public Health have issued an Advice for recreational fishing. This can be found on the Tasmanian Department of Health website, along with Frequently Asked Questions.
Has Florfenicol been used before in Tasmania?
The antibiotic Florfenicol has previously been used in Tasmania in small quantities between 2007 and 2010.
What is Florfenicol being used to treat?
Veterinary science indicates Florfenicol is effective in combating P. salmonis.
P. salmonis is a marine bacterium. The bacterium causes disease in salmon. Global evidence confirms it is a major contributor to high mortality rates in salmon farming.
P. salmonis does not present a human health or food safety risk.
Is it safe to eat fish caught in the area during a treatment period?
When farmed salmon are treated with florfenicol in medicated feed, wild fish nearby may also eat some of this feed. Public Health have issued an Advice for recreational fishing on the Tasmanian Department of Health website.
What salmon leases will be treated with florfenicol?
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) share which salmon leases are being treated with florfenicol. This information is available in the Regulator Notice: Antibiotic Treatment - Administration of Florfenicol.
What risks will there be to our waterways from the use of Florfenicol?
The EPA requires salmon producers to undertake environmental monitoring in accordance with a new Florfenicol Antibiotic Residue Monitoring Schedule. This will generate data on florfenicol residues in water, sediments and wild fish which will inform future environmental risk assessments and future public health advice relating to the use of Florfenicol in Tasmania.
Will the dosage and impacts of the use of Florfenicol be disclosed?
A final report including dosage volumes and environmental monitoring results for each antibiotic treatment event will be published on the EPA website.