It is now known the bacteria
Piscirickettsia salmonis or
P. salmonis is endemic and has been in Tasmania’s east and south east waters for some time.
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 is a fish disease. It does not present a human health or food safety risk.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved salmon producers using Florfenicol. The antibiotic Florfenicol has previously been used in Tasmania in small quantities between 2007 and 2010.
Veterinary science indicates Florfenicol is effective in combating
P. salmonis.
In the event that fish in marine farms require Florfenicol treatment companies must advise the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) Biosecurity Tasmania before the treatment is applied.
The EPA is responsible for ensuring
monitoring of antibiotic residues in the environment is undertaken and to ensure that the use of antibiotics in finfish farming does not cause environmental harm.
NRE Tas is responsible for administering the Biosecurity Program: Tasmanian Salmonid Industry:
Biosecurity Program: Tasmanian Salmonid Industry (PDF 2Mb)
It is also responsible for administering the
Tasmanian Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 and the Primary Produce Safety (Seafood) Regulations 2023 which applies food safety standards and controls to the primary production and processing of seafood.
Both regulators (EPA and NRE Tas) will be undertaking a number of core monitoring and/or compliance activities in relation to the use of Florfenicol.
EPA Florfenicol Antibiotic Residue Monitoring Schedule
The EPA has developed a new Florfenicol Antibiotic Residue Monitoring Schedule that must be complied with. The Schedule has been prepared through a review of scientific literature and with support from Public Health Services.
The Schedule addresses the shorter half-life of Florfenicol and will provide data on the detection and break-down of antibiotic residues in sediments, wild fish and water.
The Schedule also requires baselines surveys to be completed before any antibiotic treatment event.
Results from this monitoring will inform future environmental and public health advice relating to the use of Florfenicol in Tasmania.
A final report for each antibiotic treatment event will be published on the EPA website when residue monitoring has been completed.
NRE Tas Biosecurity Tasmania Florfenicol Compliance Audit Schedule
Biosecurity Tasmania will implement a Compliance Audit Schedule to ensure Florfenicol administration by salmon producers complies with Biosecurity Program: Tasmanian Salmonid Industry Marine Operating Standards 29 and 30.
Biosecurity Program: Tasmanian Salmonid Industry (PDF 2Mb)
Marine Operating Standard 29 requires a salmonid producer to ensure that levels of antibiotics, or chemical residues present within or outside a marine farm derived from therapeutant use on the farm, do not exceed any levels specified in the producer’s environmental licence, or in any other relevant legislative requirement or instrument issued by a Commonwealth, State or Local Government authority.
Marine Operating Standard 30 is concerned with notification requirements, ensuring correct withholding periods are met, ensuring all feed equipment used to deliver and distribute medicated feed is appropriately treated after use and requirements to undertake residue testing specified in any relevant legislative requirement or instrument issued by a Commonwealth, State or Local Government authority are complied with.
Biosecurity Tasmania will publish a summary report regarding the Compliance Audit outcomes.
NRE Tas Food Safety Standards
Salmon harvested for human consumption must meet all standard food safety requirements.
Salmon producers are legally required to ensure their fish comply with national food standards, including the
Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Code.
The APVMA Permit mandates if fish are treated with Florfenicol they would have to be held for at least 300 degree-days before they can be harvested for human consumption. This period allows the depletion of antibiotic residues to mitigate the risk of antibiotic residues being present in the flesh of salmon in the commercial marketplace and food service.
NRE Tas Biosecurity Tasmania Florfenicol Compliance Audit Schedule will audit salmon companies’ compliance with the requirement that all stock receiving medicated feed is recorded to ensure the correct withholding period is met.
In addition, the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulates the production and export of fish and fish products through the Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021. Commonwealth law requirements mandate that fish treated with antibiotics must be held for a certain period before they can be harvested for export.
Public Health Services
The Director of Public Health is responsible for providing human health advice on the implications of the use of Florfenicol for wild fish caught recreationally in Tasmania’s marine environment.
The monitoring undertaken by the EPA will gather data on Florfenicol metabolites in wild fish which will inform future public health advice.
For the latest public health information visit
the Department of Health website.
More information
- The NRE Tas Chief Veterinary Officer has received Veterinary Authority documents from Tassal notifying that Tassal will undertake treatment with Florfenicol at their Meads Creek (MFL 77) and Stringers Cove (MFL 209) leases commencing on 7 November 2025 for a period of 10 days.
- The EPA and NRE Tas have received Veterinary Authority documents from Huon Aquaculture that Huon Aquaculture will undertake treatment with Florfenicol at their Zuidpool North lease (MF141) commencing on 12 November 2025 for a period of 10 days.
- The EPA and NRE Tas have received Veterinary Authority documents from Huon Aquaculture that Huon Aquaculture will undertake treatment with Florfenicol at their Zuidpool South lease (MF141) commencing on 28 November 2025 for a period of 10 days.
- Additional pens in Zuidpool North (MF141) will be receiving Florfenicol treatment from 1 December 2025 for a period of 10 days. Only pens inside the lease that haven’t been treated before will be treated.
- Additional pens in Zuidpool North (MF141) will be receiving Florfenicol treatment from 3 December 2025 for a period of 10 days. Only pens inside the lease that haven’t been treated before will be treated.
- Soldiers Point (MF110) in between Birchs Bay and Soldiers Point, Bruny Island will be receiving Florfenicol treatment from 5 December 2025 for a period of 10 days.
Current Environment Protection Authority advice is available on the EPA Tasmania website.
Current Public Health advice is available on the Tasmanian Department of Health website.
Current treatment locations and the associated 3km buffer zone can be found on LISTmap - Land Information System Tasmania.