Topic: Fishing and Aquaculture Industry
The fisheries in parts of Tasmania's south-east will be closed to mitigate trade risks. ( ABC News: Bec Pridham )
Tasmania's environment department has announced the closure of commercial rock lobster and commercial dive fisheries in parts of the state's south-east.
The move is designed to reduce international trade risks linked to the use of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) in salmon farms in the area.
The salmon industry is seeking an emergency permit to use the antibiotic florfenicol in salmon pens in the state's south-east, which could trigger further closures.
Commercial rock lobster and dive fisheries in parts of Tasmania's south-east will stay closed for three months to "mitigate trade risks" linked to antibiotic use by the salmon industry.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) has issued two notices declaring certain commercial areas closed from November 15 this year to February 14 next year.
The commercial taking of rock lobster and the setting of rock lobster pots will not be allowed within parts of the Southern Channel "Therapeutic Management Area" (TMA).
The new closures are linked to salmon company Tassal's recent use of the antibiotic oxytetracycline. ( ABC News: Bec Pridham )
Commercial divers will not be allowed to take short-spined sea urchins, long-spined sea urchins and periwinkles in the Northern Channel TMA.
The notice for commercial divers says the closure is "part of the arrangements to mitigate trade risks associated with aquaculture therapeutant use."
Tassal is one of three major salmon producers with pens in Tasmanian waterways. ( Bob Brown Foundation )
NRE last month released its Wild Fisheries Market Access Plan ahead of the planned use of antibiotics to treat a bacterial disease that caused mass deaths in salmon farms over the past two summers.
Under the plan, wild fisheries near salmon pens treated with antibiotics get temporarily closed.
This is done to avoid the risk of antibiotic detections in wild seafood that could trigger export bans by countries with zero tolerance.
The industry has struggled with mass deaths of fish during recent summers. ( Supplied: Bob Brown Foundation )
The new closures are linked to salmon company Tassal's recent use of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) at its salmon farms at Great Taylors Bay and Meads Creek in the lower D'Entrecasteaux Channel.
A map showing the areas of the rock lobster fishery that will be closed from Sunday. ( ABC News: Hamed Akrami )
Tassal has been administering OTC by injection, rather than orally through medicated food.
The industry has lost large amounts of fish stocks to disease recently. ( Huon )
When it first started using the antibiotic last month, the Department of Health said it posed no risk to the public.
"Public Health has confirmed swimming and recreational fishing remain completely safe," the Tassal spokesperson said.
"We recognise the consequences for any affected commercial rock lobster fishers and are working with the wild fisheries sector on appropriate support, with monitoring underway to support reopening as soon as possible."
The industry has been adminstering the antibiotic via injection. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )
Salmon Tasmania, which represents the state's three main salmon companies, has separately applied for an emergency permit to use the antibiotic florfenicol to treat the bacterial disease.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is currently seeking public submissions about the application, with a decision likely this month.
The salmon industry received an emergency permit to use florfenicol late last year, but it was revoked in March this year after florfenicol was detected in wild seafood more than 10 kilometres away.
The ABC is seeking comment from NRE and Salmon Tasmania.
Salmon in a fish farm enclosure. ( Supplied: Tassal )
