Huon Aquaculture this week confirmed it intends to use the antibiotic florfenicol at its Zuidpool North lease in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. That decision has sparked a furious tit-for-tat between the company and government regulators. Huon sent accompanying correspondence to NRE and EPA. In a subsequent message, Huon confirmed that it would begin the treatment within seven working days. This revelation was alarming to many stakeholders, especially to those focused on the importance of public communication and the monitoring of our environment.
Huon voiced concern over NRE’s attempts to disseminate information to the public ahead of the weekend. Understandably, the company stressed its desire for additional time to track environmental impacts. Most notably, it raised an alarm about what it described as a “grossly politicized” state of care towards the treatment. In light of the feedback, Huon decided not to pursue florfenicol at that time.
Background on Florfenicol Usage
Huon has previously dosed florfenicol at its two Zuidpool leases in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. This decision comes on the heels of significant fish mortality rates observed at its Roaring Beach site, which were described as “well above all other year classes for the same period.” Despite appearing culture independent, Huon had difficulty controlling for stocking density effects. To remedy this, he intended to move the displaced fish to the Zuidpool North lease.
For now, the company was pleased to point out that in February, NRE validated florfenicol’s off-label use in salmon. This nonhuman use is allowed under a veterinary prescription. Additionally, Huon said it had notified the EPA of the scheduled treatment date as early as July. Next, Huon applied to use florfenicol at Tassal’s Okehampton Bay lease, south of Triabunna. Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) assisted in this off-label use by affirming its legality on August 6.
“I reserve the right to suspend notification by government if I am not satisfied that Huon Aquaculture has completed its due diligence.” – Jason Jacobi
NRE Secretary Jason Jacobi said he was surprised at Huon’s planned treatment. He lamented that it was “the first I have heard” of the planned establishment date for treatment. He asked immediate questions about the salmon mortality, levels of dosage, and if other seafood industries had been notified.
Regulatory Concerns and Community Impact
In light of the florfenicol use controversy, industry and governmental regulators have increased their oversight and influence over florfenicol use. Jacobi’s email should have focused eight critical questions. These questions specifically sought to find out what effect the antibiotic would have on fish health and the surrounding environment. These legislative questions raised important issues about the spread of toxic residue and what that means for all of us, especially vulnerable communities.
Dr. Deborah McSweyn, acting chief veterinary officer, questioned Huon about the factors that triggered its response, particularly regarding mortality data. In answer to Dr. Whittington, chief executive of Salmon Tasmania, on the regulatory processes behind monitoring environmental contamination and safety issues related to florfenicol use. According to him, this is how the EPA intended the monitoring program to be. Before any data is reported publicly, independent, third-party contractors examine the data and report it to both the EPA and Public Health.
“The program was designed by the EPA, the monitoring is done by independent third-party contractors, the analysis is done by AST, the data goes to the EPA and Public Health.” – Dr. Whittington
Lastly, Dr. Whittington discussed the need for transparency when releasing data to the community. He noted that even after treatment, florfenicol was detected at levels equivalent to “20 grains of salt in an Olympic swimming pool,” and that it “very quickly goes away to non-detectable” levels.
“I have told you the results. I have told you that there is no detectable trace in sediments.” – Dr. Whittington
Future Steps and Recommendations
As this process moves forward, Huon has promised to be open and transparent while communicating with impacted stakeholders. Further, the company said that a reasonable notification window would be crucial to the competitive and logistical handling of public excitement. Focusing on a Monday treatment, they suggest waiting as long as possible to publicly announce treatment. This provides key spokespeople and staff the opportunity to craft responses that preemptively answer tough questions.
“It is our strong recommendation this does not occur until the Monday prior to treatment … to ensure relevant spokespeople and staff are available to respond to any queries.” – Huon
Huon has recently expressed its gratitude to the ‘high quality’ regulatory feedback received on its environmental monitoring program. The continued discussion highlights the challenges in ensuring sustainable and responsible aquaculture practices while addressing environmental impact and public health concerns.
