The NSW Government has activated a biosecurity response and engaged the Commonwealth and other State Governments after receiving advice that white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has been detected by scientists in wild-caught school prawns from the inshore ocean area off the Richmond River estuary near Ballina.
The NSW Government's biosecurity response arrangements have been activated and will establish a control zone prohibiting the movement of raw product, including all decapod crustaceans and polychaete worms, but excluding high value lobster, crabs and bugs destined for human consumption, from rivers near Ballina and just offshore.
White spot does not pose a threat to human health or food safety. NSW seafood, including prawns, remains safe to eat.
White spot syndrome virus presents a biosecurity risk to prawn industries and can impact on the trade of prawns and all crustaceans.
Restriction on the movement of uncooked prawns and polychaete worms from the control zone is necessary to protect access to valuable national and international seafood markets by all crustaceans fisheries in NSW and Australia.
Prawn fishers can continue to catch prawns in the control zone but all prawns must be cooked to deactivate the virus before they can be moved into markets.
The NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty has directed her agency to urgently communicate directly with prawn and seafood industry stakeholders in northern NSW to provide details on the implementation of a control zone on the movement of uncooked prawns and polychaete worms. Working closely and collaboratively with the industry is a Government priority.
This action is critical to preserve both interstate and international trade for all crustacean species and other non-affected areas of NSW where crustacean fisheries operate.
The control zone restricts the movement of green, uncooked, school and king prawns and other decapod crustaceans, including polycheate worms out of the area.
Importantly, for many commercial fishers and seafood industry operators in Northern NSW, the Government is excluding the Mud, blue swimmer, three spot and spanner crabs, lobsters and bugs from the movement restrictions, as these species are solely used for human consumption and do not present a risk of being reintroduced to other waterways.
This routine testing is part of the national white spot surveillance program, which began in 2017 following the white spot outbreak in Southeast Queensland. Genetic testing is being conducted to confirm the DNA of the WSSV collected near Ballina to check if there are any relationships with previous detections in Queensland and NSW.
NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said:
"The community can rest assured this discovery of white spot syndrome virus in samples of wild caught school prawns off Ballina is not a health risk and NSW seafood is safe to eat.
"Our biosecurity response has swiftly swung into action and will aim to control the impact and advise all stakeholders on next steps.
"I have requested my Department to work closely with the northern NSW seafood industry and ensure they have all the information they need to understand the issue and to work collaboratively with Government.
"Our Government's epidemiologists, biosecurity, fisheries and aquatic health specialists are working to develop response plans to support the industry".
