QLD prawn farmers on high alert after NSW swoops to contain white spot outbreak at hatchery

Fisheries officials have swooped on a NSW prawn hatchery destroying brood stock infected with white spot disease, six years after it was detected in Queensland waters gutting the industry.

Prawn farmers on the Logan River and at the Gold Coast have been warned of an outbreak of the devastating white spot disease in northern New South Wales.

The disease, which does not affect humans but is deadly to prawns, was detected at a hatchery in Yamba, 180km south of the Queensland border.

NSW Department of Primary Industries took swift action as soon as the disease was detected, destroying the infected prawns.

Australian Prawn Farmers Association executive Kim Hooper said tests were continuing in an effort to trace where the disease had come from.

Ms Hooper said preliminary testing in Queensland of broodstock in hatcheries had not found the disease but all prawn farmers were on high alert.

She said the NSW hatchery, which she declined to name, could have used broodstock from anywhere in Australia, Queensland or from as far away as Darwin.

A NSW hatchery has detected cases of white spot in brood stock with DPI trying to trace where it has come from.

“The disease was only detected in this hatchery and no cases have been found outside,” Ms Hooper said.

“New South Wales Department of Primary Industries advised us they were still investigating and unfortunately we do not have any further information yet, but obviously this is absolutely the last thing we needed to happen,” she said.

“Until we determine where it came from, there will be no change to the containment area in Queensland with the movement of prawns in that area restricted.”

The restricted Queensland area includes rivers and waterways south of Caloundra to the New South Wales border, following a line of 100 metres off the eastern coasts of Bribie, Moreton and Stradbroke islands.

A cluster of crabs in the northern parts of Moreton Bay returned an initial positive result for possible white spot disease in 2020.

Biosecurity Queensland said it was aware of white spot at a prawn farm at Palmers Island in Yamba and has warned all Queensland prawn farmers to check stock closely and report any concerns immediately.

The department is working closely with aquaculture operators to ensure all farm biosecurity management is appropriate.

Ms Hooper said the Queensland white spot containment zone was classified as “established” rather than “endemic” as no cases of white spot had been detected for more than a year.

News South Wales Department of Primary Industries was contacted for a comment as was Biosecurity Queensland and the federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt.

The outbreak followed a federal government decision made last Friday to reduce the number of border inspections for imported breaded, battered, or crumbed prawns and highly processed uncooked prawn consignments.

Those cutbacks to inspections have now been delayed.

Mr Watt said the federal government was working to support New South Wales DPI to respond and contain the detection in Yamba.

“This again just shows how important it is to remain vigilant to the biosecurity threats our industry faces every day.”

Ms Hooper said the federal department had suspended the cut backs until there was a better understanding of the impact of the outbreak.

“However, it is absolutely inconceivable that any biosecurity changes are being made at the border at this time.”

However, she said the early detection showed the farm had been adhering to biosecurity measures.

“This family-run farm has strong on-farm biosecurity measures in place, including testing, which has resulted in the very early detection and subsequent quick action to contain any threat,” she said.

“This same family and their farm were devastated by the recent floods and after dusting themselves off and rebuilding the farm, this has now happened.”

Originally published as QLD prawn farmers on high alert after NSW swoops to contain white spot outbreak at hatchery