Quick facts
Florfenicol is an antibiotic. It is approved to treat farmed salmon in certain areas in Tasmania.
Florfenicol is administered through medicated feed to treat
Piscirickettsia salmonis bacterial infections.
Wild fish near treated pens may eat some of the medicated feed.
There are no reported human health harms from traces of Florfenicol in fish or meat.
Recreational fishing is
not closed near treatment areas.
Guidelines are available for recreational fishers who would prefer to avoid traces of antibiotics in their catch.
Can I fish near marine farms treated with Florfenicol?
You can fish near marine farms that have been treated with Florfenicol. No recreational fisheries are closed due to Florfenicol.
It is illegal to fish within a marine farming lease. See
Marine Farms – Fishing Advice for more information.
Is it safe to fish near treated farms?
There are
no reports of adverse human health effects from exposure to traces of Florfenicol in meat or fish.
How can I avoid exposure to antibiotics in my catch?
Wild fish near treated farms may eat medicated feed. If you would prefer to avoid exposure to traces of antibiotics, the Department of Health recommends:
- Consider not eating fish caught within 3 kilometres of a salmon pen treated with Florfenicol – both during the treatment period and for 21 days after it ends.
This advice is consistent with rules for farmed salmon. Farmed salmon treated with Florfenicol cannot be harvested for sale until a certain length of time after treatment. This is usually 21 days, but it depends on water temperature.
For more information, visit the
Tasmanian Department of Health website.
When and where are treatments occurring?
Florfenicol has been approved for use in the south-eastern biosecurity zone.
The map below shows:
- All marine farms that have received treatment in the last 21 days (blue).
- The recommended 3km buffer zone (yellow).
Updates on treatment sites are also:
Having trouble seeing the map? View it on LISTmap.
What is Florfenicol?
Florfenicol is an antibiotic. It is used in many countries for veterinary medicine, agriculture and aquaculture.
What is 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.
An unprecendented mortality event that occured early in 2025 was the result of P. Salmonis and warmer waters affecting salmon health.
P. salmonis is a fish disease. It does not present a human health or food safety risk.
For more information, see
Piscirickettsia salmonis Information Sheet.
More Information
•
Tasmanian Department of Health Advice
•
Regulator Notice: Antibiotic Treatment – Administration of Florfenicol.
•
Piscirickettsia salmonis Information Sheet