NSW Nationals, Agriculture Minister clash over Clarence prawn white spot control measures, financial support

Concerns have been raised Clarence prawn producers will be wiped out after a disease control order was extended - but the Agriculture Minister says it’s just “political point-scoring”.

A prawn infected with white spot disease. Picture: Jamie Hanson.

Clarence MP Richie Williamson has described the state’s white spot disease control measures as “a ban without a plan” that “has the potential to wipe-out our local prawn industry”.

But Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty hit back at the Nationals, accusing them of playing political games and “point-scoring”.

The state government this week announced a $21.4 million lifeline for Clarence Valley prawn producers crippled by the disease outbreak, but Mr Williamson, his colleagues and some fishers believe the package does not go far enough.

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

A NSW Biosecurity Act Clarence Estuary control order was issued February 16 and due to end June 14. But it will continue for up to two more years from June 9.

The contagious viral crustacean infection hit two Palmers Island prawn farms in February, and a third outbreak came in May.

The order restricts movement of raw “green” prawns out of the estuary. Most of the Clarence industry’s catch is sold green.

After months of lobbying, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) revealed the support for those most in need, including administration fee waiving.

In response, NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders and Mr Williamson called for more transparency.

The fishing boat of local Clarence fisherman Bruce Clarke has been left tied up as he has been unable to work since February.

Mr Saunders said the “ban” was last-minute and the industry lacks certainty.

“The government buried a two-year fishing ban for prawn fishers on the Clarence River in the government gazette on (June 9) … and rushed out a jumbled funding announcement four days later,” he said.

“There is no detail on how the support announced for the prawn fishers can be used or whether it will be enough to get them through a two-year ban without an income.

“There has been a complete lack of transparency, communication and detail on this announcement which only compounds the uncertainty currently held by the industry.”

Dugald Saunders.

Richie Williamson.

Mr Williamson said support for fishers on the Clarence needed to match the magnitude of the crisis.

He said the funding package only added up to $18.5m, half of which would go towards waiving admin fees — a claim disputed by the DPI.

“This ban without a plan has the potential to wipe-out our local prawn industry,” Mr Williamson said.

“While any new funding is welcome the government needs to tell fishers exactly how this funding will help them and if there will be more support in the future.

“We have gone well beyond the need to waive licence and administration fees and need more detail about what the government will do to get this industry through the next two years.

“Australians love their locally caught prawns and I think they would be distressed to know how close we are to losing this industry.

“While state and federal governments continue to allow green prawns to be imported into Australia from countries where the disease is endemic while simply “batch testing” bunches, we are not on a level playing field.

“Severe biosecurity control orders that hurt our local industry count for little while we leave the back door open to potential new incursions.”

Clarence MP Richie Williamson (left), Page MP Kevin Hogan (second from right) and members of the Clarence River Fisherman’s Co-Operative have been calling out for support since the beginning of the outbreak.

Clarence River Fisherman’s Cooperative CEO Danielle Adams said there would not be a prawn industry in the region in two years if the order was not properly managed.

She said the industry was “critical” for the region and the state and called for “urgent, long-term support to make it through this fishing ban”.

“The industry is also baffled by the inconsistent standards that apply to domestically caught prawns and imported prawns, compounding the situation,” she said.

“We can’t have one standard for fishers in NSW catching prawns but allow imported prawns into Australia that pose a significant biosecurity risk.

“Federal and state governments need to act immediately to fix this loophole.”

In a separate media release, Ms Adams did describe the current package as a “glimmer of hope” after “the future was looking bleak”.

“We welcome and sincerely thank the NSW government for this support,” she said.

“Without this support package the industry was facing ruination. It is timely and appropriate that we are supported through this very difficult period and the new NSW government has stepped forward with support.”

Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty. Picture NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

Ms Moriarty said: “The NSW Government takes Biosecurity issues seriously.”

“It is not a matter for political point-scoring by the opposition,” she said.

The DPI also defended the financial support and said $9.2m was set aside for “recovery support”, developed “in collaboration with the local industry”, including the co-op.

“The process identified practical and constructive options for the businesses in the short and longer terms as we work to eliminate the risk to the rest of the state from spread of the virus, and to protect our international trade in Australian crustaceans,” a spokeswoman said.

The DPI said $11.2m was going towards “the continued emergency response and eradication, including on-farm destruction, disposal and decontamination, site remediation, surveillance, laboratory testing and ongoing proof of freedom measures”.

“These measures are aimed at getting farms back into production, and returning market access as quickly as possible under the Australian Aquatic Veterinary Emergency Plan … ,” she said.

“The prawn fishers and farmers in the Clarence are still able to operate – but they cannot sell uncooked or “green” prawns outside of the Clarence River Control Zone.”