For years, Tasmania has marketed itself as "clean and green" — a state focused on purity and sustainability.
It's a state that embraces the philosophy of "better, not more".
These are not my thoughts; they're all black-and-white statements taken straight from the Tasmanian government's own website.
If they are, how could a government allow the state's reputation to be put at risk by one major producer at the expense of other industries and businesses, and indeed the public?
For another summer, Salmon Tasmania, the peak body representing the major farmed salmon producers in the state, is seeking to use large quantities of antibiotics to protect against bacterial outbreaks in its salmon.
These salmon aren't housed in carefully contained on-land enclosures.
They're held in dozens of large pens within public waterways that are also used by commercial and recreational fishers.
These waterways are used by humans, too — people swim and sail in these waters.
The state's health department is at pains to point out that there are "no reports of adverse human health effects" from eating seafood that has florfenicol residue.
And there is "no evidence of harm to human health" from exposure to the antibiotic while undertaking recreational swimming.
The salmon industry itself would also be quick to point out that the reason it wants to use antibiotics is…