The current storm of public concern began earlier this month [7 November 2025 with Tassal and 12 November 2025 with Huon Aquaculture] with the deployment of Florfenicol—an antibiotic previously registered for use in pigs, not fish—following an “emergency” application from the salmon industry. Authorities confirmed around 700kg of the antibiotic was released into the Channel by salmon farming companies in less than two weeks, representing more than 10% of the total antibiotic volume used across all Tasmanian salmon farms over the past six years.
The first round of dosing, which included sites operated by Tassal and Huon Aquaculture, led the commercial rock lobster fishery to close on 15 November due to fears that residues would disperse from the D’Entrecasteaux Channel into Storm Bay. Public Health Services issued precautionary advice, recommending that recreational fishers avoid eating fish caught within three kilometres of a treated salmon pen for 21 days after treatment ends.
These documents, released today by the Rosalie Woodruff MHA and Peter George MHA, reveal that a second, unadvertised dosing is set to begin tomorrow, Friday 28 November, effectively extending the fishing exclusion zone and blocking coastal communities from antibiotic-free seafood throughout the peak Christmas period.
Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MHA, Greens Leader, 27 November 2025
Antibiotic-Free Seafood Off The Table For SE Communities This Christmas
Catching an antibiotic free feed for Christmas lunch is off the table for many coastal communities in south-east Tasmania with news Huon Aquaculture will be dumping the antibiotic florfenicol on another salmon farm in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel from tomorrow.
This is a devastating blow to recreational fishers and other users of coastal waters just days before summer begins.
Recreational fishers have been advised not to fish within 3km of a treatment site if they’re worried about consuming antibiotic residues.
This new dump of antibiotics will take the withholding period for human consumption in caught wild fish beyond Christmas.
Last week we heard in Budget Estimates that some 700kg of the antibiotic florfenicol has already been released into the D’Entrecasteaux Channel by salmon farming companies in less than two weeks and now, as predicted, the companies are accelerating their assault on our waterways.
The commercial crayfishing industry has had to move out of the Channel and it won’t be long before recreational anglers won’t be able to fish throughout all south-eastern waters without potentially exposing themselves to antibiotic residue.
The Liberal Government should demand fish farm companies destock diseased salmon pens instead of treating them with antibiotics and potentially impacting Tasmanian fishers.
It’s past time the Premier made good on his promise to put the salmon farming companies “on notice”.
The Greens will continue to inform the public about what these multinational companies are up to, because we know the Liberal government will not.
Media release – Peter George MHA, Independent Member for Franklin, 27 November 2025
More Antibiotics in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel
Independent MP for Franklin, Peter George has called for a full transparency from environmental and health authorities over a second dosing of antibiotics in a diseased salmon industry lease in the south of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
A second treatment of the antibiotic, Florfenicol, is due to start tomorrow.
The salmon industry is attempting to slip a renewed treatment of diseased salmon pens under the radar when it should be issuing clear and widespread warnings to water users, particularly commercial and recreational fishers.
Health authorities have warned against eating wild fish caught within 3 kilometers of treated pens while the southern Tasmanian rock lobster fishery has already been closed over concerns over antibiotic residue from the first antibiotic treatment.
However, information about diseased pens being treated with Florfenicol are clearly deliberately buried in government websites and does not appear on the website of Huon Aquaculture, the owner of the diseased pens.
During Budget Estimates last week, the Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, undertook to take action over public notification of diseased pens being treated with Florfenicol.
It’s time Rockliff lived up to his undertaking:
“There is the health advice, so people can make an informed decision about what they want to do – fish or not fish, swim or not swim. I believe that information is there.
It might be hard to navigate and find, so that’s an issue we can address.” (Hansard No 17, 2025) .
New dosing of the antibiotic, Florfenicol, is due to commence tomorrow in the southern D’Entrecasteaux Channel, according to the official government List Map.
It means that a large area of the waterway will be closed over Christmas to fishers concerned about the impact on wild fish.
It’s the second time the Huon Aquaculture lease is to be dosed this month – the first treatment started on November 12 and ended just one week ago.
Huon, the Health Department and the EPA have issued no advice warnings.
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