With white spot now considered established within the existing areas of detection in NSW, based on available evidence and technical advice, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has merged two existing control zones into a single zone, Biosecurity (white spot disease) Control Order 2025.
Zoning is needed to ensure containment measures are in accordance with national and World Organisation for Animal Health requirements.
Apart from merging the southern boundary of the Evans and Richmond Rivers Zone and the northern boundary of the Clarence River Control Zone with the middle oceanic area, all other existing boundaries will remain unchanged.
This zoning ensures areas outside the control zone can maintain white spot-free status for national and international market access and to maintain Australian border risk mitigation for white spot in imported prawns.
The current control order expired on 9 December 2025 and this new control order immediately replaced it.
The requirement to cook prawns will continue to apply to prawns caught or harvested in the control zone area, if they are being moved outside the control zone.
DPIRD will consider permit applications to move green (uncooked) prawn product to a suitable land-based facility, provided appropriate biosecurity requirements are met.
In November 2025 the NSW Government continued its support for the recovery of commercial fishers and prawn farms affected by white spot with a $1.34 million payment, part of the $6.67 million that has been invested in support for affected fishers to date.
DPIRD has met with and consulted fishers, including fishing businesses, in discussions about the changes to the control order since November this year.
Last month DPIRD met with representatives from the Clarence River Estuary Prawn Trawl Committee and affected prawn industry participants to provide an update on the latest technical advice, and the future management arrangements for white spot, which was confirmed with prawn fishing stakeholders via email on 5 December 2025.
The Clarence River Estuary Prawn Trawl Committee provided DPIRD with industry-based information about the economic impacts of the control order and the department is currently reviewing other possible support options.
The NSW Government has written to the Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to request support with further assistance measures for affected business owners.
In 2023, the NSW Government allocated $21.4 million to deliver a biosecurity response and industry recovery to the white spot detection.
The NSW Government is committed to working closely with industry and other agencies at state and national levels, providing appropriate advice and support to affected fishing and farm businesses.
Mental health support is available for fishers who have experienced negative impacts from the white spot detection from the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP).
