Licence for antibiotic use in Tasmanian salmon may be suspended

The Licence for Antibiotic Use in Tasmanian Salmon May Be Suspended

The federal agency responsible for the approval of the antibiotic florfenicol in Tasmania's salmon industry has proposed suspending its licence. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) granted an emergency permit for the use of florfenicol in salmon in the south-eastern biosecurity zone of Tasmania, issued in November last year. On Thursday, reports surfaced that florfenicol was detected in parts of abalone, bryozoans, urchins, and whelks, as tested by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) on behalf of Tasmania's Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE). This bacterial outbreak has led to significant losses for the Tasmanian salmon industry. In a statement released today, APVMA requested new information from NRE, which found very low-level detections of florfenicol amine in non-target and wild fisheries species at various distances from the salmon leases. The permit holder, Abbey Laboratories, the manufacturer of the antibiotic, has been notified that the permit may be suspended unless evidence is provided by Monday, March 2, 2026, to satisfy trade criteria.