Mortality weight data submitted to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for the month of March shows that fish deaths declined by almost half compared to February 2025.
“The EPA can report that 100% of the salmon mortality material was beneficially reused through rendering, composting or use as fertiliser on agricultural properties," said CEO, Catherine Murdoch.
“Water temperatures are falling and there has been a significant decline in the number of pens above the mortality reporting thresholds in April."
Data provided to the EPA indicates that the unprecedented mortality event is over. The EPA will continue to receive and monitor mortality data.
Independent environmental monitoring conducted by the EPA of water quality and beach sediments at four beaches in the southern D'Entrecasteaux Channel found all samples to be below the detection limit for the antibiotic oxytetracycline.
“As part of this program the EPA collected water samples in the last 2 weeks of March at 10 offshore locations and a significant number of wild fish at four locations within the southern D'Entrecasteaux Channel for analysis and none of these samples detected any antibiotic residues.
The EPA considers the presence of antibiotics in the southern D'Entrecasteaux Channel to be back to background levels," said Ms Murdoch.
Huon Aquaculture is continuing a mandatory antibiotic sampling program at its Zuidpool lease and reports will be published on the EPA web site in due course.
Published on:
5/05/2025