Are farmed fish treated with antibiotics?
Some bacterial diseases can be effectively treated in farmed fish that are held in contained systems. If required, antibiotics are prescribed by licensed veterinarians. Health Canada has strict rules about drug use for animals grown for food production, including aquatic animals. Maximum residue limits for each drug are set and must be met through appropriate withdrawal times following treatment before the fish can be harvested. The CFIA monitors fish at federal processing plants to ensure they do not exceed the levels set by Health Canada. Compared with other farmed animal production, aquaculture has few antibiotics approved for use and their application is usually expensive and for a limited period of time. Thus, the frequency of use in aquaculture is much lower than in more traditional animal production systems.
