Department of Health advice
The Department of Health is responsible for issuing advice on public health issues, including advice on eating seafood safely and wild shellfish health alerts.
The advice on this page is from the Department of Health website. If in doubt, check the
Department of Health webpages below:
Recreationally harvested shellfish
The Department of Health warns against collecting and eating wild shellfish in Tasmania. Read their
Standard Warning about wild shellfish.
There is always a risk to your health from eating wild shellfish that you have collected. Wild shellfish include oysters, mussels, clams, pipis, cockles and wedge shells.
It is always unsafe to eat wild shellfish from:
- near marinas or other places where boats discharge waste
- near sewage, industrial or stormwater outfalls
- in areas near septic tanks
- in places affected by recent heavy rain
- from the Derwent and Tamar Estuaries.
You can get gastro if you collect and eat wild shellfish like oysters, mussels, clams, pipis, cockles and wedge shells from areas where the water quality is poor. Seek medical attention if you get sick after eating wild shellfish.
Derwent and Tamar Estuaries
Shellfish collected in
Hobart’s Derwent Estuary and Launceston’s Tamar Estuary are always unsafe to eat because the shellfish concentrate the heavy metals present in these waters.
Toxic algal blooms
Read the
Department of Health's warning about toxic algal blooms and shellfish poisoning, including symptoms of shellfish poisoning.
There is an extra risk to your health when there is a toxic algal bloom (also known as harmful algal blooms).
Shellfish eaten during a harmful algal bloom can cause serious illness.
Oysters, mussels, clams, pipis, cockles, wedge shells, abalone, scallop roes and the intestines and livers of rock lobster can be affected by toxins.
The Department of Health issues
Wild Shellfish Health Alerts when algal blooms are present.
'Do Not Eat Wild Shellfish' warning signs are displayed at popular boat ramps and jetties along Tasmania's north east, east and south east coastlines when algal blooms are present.
Recreationally caught scalefish
Derwent Estuary fish limits
Read the
Department of Health's Derwent Estuary Fish Limits. The advice is based on long-term monitoring of flathead and shellfish, and studies on the mercury levels in a variety of legally sized fish caught in the Derwent estuary.
- Do not eat Bream from the Derwent Estuary
- Limit consumption of flathead and other fish from the Derwent Estuary to:
- no more than twice a week, or
- no more than once a week for
- pregnant and breastfeeding women and women planning to become pregnant
- children aged six years and younger.
(*Recommended single serve: adult - 150 grams, child - 75 grams.)
- If you eat fish from the Derwent, it is best to avoid eating fish from other sources in the same week.
More information about the health of the Derwent River is available from the
Derwent Estuary Program website.
Fishing near salmon farms
Florfenicol (an antibiotic) has been approved for treatment of farmed salmon within the south-eastern biosecurity zone through medicated feed.
There are no reported adverse human health effects from traces of Florfenicol in fish or meat.
For more information, including treatment locations, see Fishing Near Marine Farms Treated with Florfenicol.
Commercial seafood
Seafood in shops and restaurants is safe to eat.
- The
Shellfish Market Access Program (ShellMAP) monitors the safety of commercially grown shellfish.
- Commercially harvested seafood supplied to shops and restaurants is managed under strict controls to minimise consumer risk. The Tasmanian Shellfish Market Access Program (ShellMAP) monitors biotoxin risk in commercial species to ensure areas identified in the biotoxin warning are either closed or restricted accordingly.