Advertisement

Tassal to treat salmon with injectable antibiotic

October 6, 2026 5:49 pm in by

The CEO of Salmon Tasmania says the industry is hoping to use florfenicol to treat and prevent disease outbreaks in salmon pens as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, Tassal announced it would begin injecting fish off Bruny Island this week with Oxytetracycline to treat a bacterial disease.

Salmon Tasmania boss John Whittington says florfenicol is more effective and the industry is awaiting approval to use it.

Article continues after this ad
Advertisement

Its previous emergency permit for the antibiotic florfenicol was suspended after residues were detected in wild fish 10 kilometres from treated pens.

It’s understood each fish will be anaesthetised, injected with the antibiotic Oxytetracycline, monitored through recovery and returned to its pen.

Advertisement