Massive antibiotic dumps in public waters brings industrial salmon to the fore in election campaign

Tasmania's major political parties must declare to voters whether they will continue to allow massive dumps of antibiotics by the salmon industry into public waters. News that hundreds of kilos of antibiotics have again been dumped into diseased salmon cages, resulting in wildfish harbouring antibiotic residues almost five times the legal limit, make this a vital election issue.

"Tasmanians need to hear from candidates where salmon feedlots are located or planned whether they support such harmful salmon industry practices or whether they'll act to protect the public and the state's waterways," says Peter George, president of NOFF.

"Yet again, a multinational salmon company is revealed to be furtively dumping hundreds of kilos of antibiotics into our public waters without warning and regardless of human or wildlife health. This includes some of the state's most treasured waters including the Mercury Passage and off Bruny Island.

"The World Health Organisation has declared antibiotic use in animals and growing antibiotic resistance in humans, as one of the most pressing global health issues.

"NOFF challenges the Liberal and Labor parties to publicly declare they will crackdown on the multinationals that run the salmon industry and force them to abandon their reckless practices.

"Both major parties need to declare just how much the multinational salmon giants have poured into party coffers to buy such acquiescence to their unprincipled practices."

NOFF is responding to the work of voluntary researchers who uncovered huge dumps of antibiotics into diseased salmon feedlots, resulting in residues in wild fish almost five times higher than permitted by Federal health regulations. The reports were first published in the Tasmanian Inquirer and later in The Guardian.

• More information: Peter George: 0426 150 369 president@noff.au