Fears of job losses, spread after white spot disease confirmed by NSW Department of Industries in Clarence Valley

The Clarence seafood industry has been crippled by a white spot virus outbreak, prompting fears of mass job losses and moves to prevent the devastating infection spreading.

White spot has been detected at two Clarence Valley farms. File image. Picture: Brendan Radke.

The Clarence prawn industry has been crippled by a white spot virus outbreak at two farms, prompting fears of widespread job losses and moves to prevent the infection spreading.

Industry leaders backed by Page MP Kevin Hogan and Clarence MP Richie Williamson have urged the state and federal government to provide financial aid as soon as possible.

The contagious viral crustacean infection was found in two Palmers Island prawn farms in February.

Since then a control order has been issued and is set to remain in place until June 14.

White spot is spread by the movement of contaminated bait and fishing gear

While it does not pose a risk to people it can rip through a prawn farm in a few days and poses a serious threat to freshwater and marine crustaceans in both farmed and wild fisheries, including crabs, lobster and yabbies.

Clarence MP Richie Williamson (left), Page MP Kevin Hogan (second from right) and members of the Clarence River Fisherman's Co-Operative have urged governments to provide income support.

White spot was first detected in Australia at prawn farms on the Logan River in southeast Queensland in late 2016 and in wild populations in Moreton Bay in 2017, according to the Department of Primary Industries.

The new control order has restricted the movement of raw prawns out of an area dubbed the Clarence River Control Zone, covering the Clarence Estuary.

While it remains in place, professional anglers have been left without a source of income.

Clarence River Fishing Co-operative (CRFC) chief executive officer Danielle Adams said the recent outbreak has put hundreds of local jobs at risk.

A prawn infected by white spot disease. Picture: Supplied

“Green school prawns account for a third of CRFC’s annual seafood income. We are still experiencing financial hardship from 2021 and 2022 floods where we were also ineligible for flood relief packages,” she said.

“The white spot outbreak risks the viability of the business and the hundreds of local jobs CRFC supports if financial assistance is not made available.”

Mr Hogan and recently-elected Mr Williamson also called on the federal and state governments to provide financial assistance “as a matter of urgency”.

“We have local commercial fisherman and farms who have received no income for the past (three) months,” Mr Hogan said.

The Clarence Control Zone (in red). Source: NSW DPI

“These are local families with mortgage repayments and other household expenses who need to put food on their tables and need income support now.”

Mr Williamson said the control order came at a critical time for the prawn industry.

Prawns are in season and it’s usually the most profitable time of the year.

“It’s really at a very desperate situation where the fishermen, the prawn farmers and the co-operative need some income support to survive,” Mr Williamson said.

A NSW DPI spokeswoman said efforts were underway to minimise the spread of white spot, but the source of the Clarence outbreak had not been determined.

A prawn infected by white spot disease.

“The NSW DPI is working closely with the infected farms, the seafood industry and other state and national bodies to ensure on-farm eradication and surveillance activities of wild crustaceans in the area,” she said.

“(We are also) working with the co-op, the associations and the fishers to try and develop a pathway back to business for these fishers whilst removing the risk to the rest of the state from spread of the virus, and without putting our international trade in crustaceans from Australia at risk.”

Help stop the spread by using bait from a quality source and not using seafood meant to be eaten by humans.

Dispose of unwanted seafood properly and keep fishing gear, boats and trailers clean.