PRAWNS

In reply to the Hon. R.G. KERIN (Frome) (25 October 2006).

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN (Mount Gambier—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests): All Australian wild prawn populations are considered free of white spot disease. There has been a documented outbreak of the disease in the Northern Territory in 2000 following use of imported prawn meat as feed in a prawn farm. The disease was successfully eradicated. White spot remains an international notifiable disease in Australia.

All prawn meat imported as bait must be cooked before importation to reduce the risk of introduction of diseases such as white spot. Regulations regarding the importation of raw aquaculture prawn meat into Australia by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) stipulate that it is to be imported for human consumption only.

In response to the recent increase in volume of aquaculture prawn meat being imported into Australia, South Australia, through its membership of both the National Aquatic Animal Health Technical Working Group and the Aquatic Animal Health Committee, has sought that Biosecurity Australia complete the Import Risk Assessment (IRA) as a matter of urgency. Biosecurity Australia has responded to this request and a finalised IRA with associated controls on imports is expected to be released by the end of 2006. In the interim, monitoring of the importation of raw aquaculture prawn meat remains the responsibility of AQIS.