This morning’s decision by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) that they are revoking the use of the controversial antibiotic florfenicol, is an indictment of the industrial fish farm companies and their complete disregard for the marine environment.

“The APVMA has made the right decision today, by revoking the industrial salmon companies’ approval to flood Tasmania’s marine environment with florfenicol,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.

“The use of the antibiotic was deemed an unacceptable risk to other marine species, but the truth is that the industrial fish farms are an unacceptable risk, in everything they do, to marine species. Just ask the native seals shot, the dolphins and birds trapped in nets or the near extinct Maugean Skate in Macquarie Harbour. In just a few short months, the factory fish farms in Tasmania dumped over double the amounts of antibiotics into the water that the Norwegian factory farms did in a year.”

“The reckless use of this antibiotic, which was fully endorsed and enabled by the Tasmania government, was met with huge community concern from day one, yet Premier Jeremy Rockliff was determined to sacrifice the marine environment, recreational fishers and even other commercial fisheries on the altar of big salmon companies. The factory fish farms must now be required to destock and rapidly reduce the number of fish in their floating cages in order to stop the spread of disease,” said Alistair Allan.