Prawn Liaison Officer appointed  (NNF 2017/021)


The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has recently appointed a Prawn Liaison Officer. The following information has been provided from the DAWR regarding this role.

Email from Blake Zur - Prawn Liaison Officer

This email is to introduce myself as the Prawn Liaison Officer for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. The department has appointed a liaison officer to act as a central point of contact for stakeholders and to provide stakeholders with regular updates around activities being undertaken in the imported prawn suspension. 
 
The department is currently conducting a number of activities to ensure the risk of white spot disease (and other prawn diseases) entering and establishing in Australia is appropriately managed.
 
Case-by-case review of prawn products and pathways

  • The department is considering specific products and businesses that might be eligible for an exemption from the import suspension.
  • The department has begun working on a review of products affected by the suspension, one being marinated uncooked prawns.  
  • At this stage it is anticipated to take up to 8 weeks for the initial review of import conditions for marinated uncooked prawn meat, prawns exported from Australia, processed and re-imported. Once this review is completed a decision can be made on possible future risk management options for marinated uncooked prawns for specific products and pathways to allow for the safe resumption of trade.
  • Submissions to support case-by-case assessments can be made to: [email protected]   
 
Product withdrawal

  • The department has requested some importers to withdraw their products that have tested positive to white spot disease following increased testing for the disease in the market. The department has been in ongoing communication with major supermarket chains about the testing
  • Consumers can still expect to see imported prawn products for sale. The reason for this is there is a proportion of product that was imported legally prior to the suspension taking place, which will not test positive for white spot disease and is therefore legitimately for sale.
  • In addition, an amount of product that was in transit at the time of the suspension, that has been subject to enhanced inspection and testing will be released and available for retail sale if the testing comes back as negative to white spot disease.
  • Everyone is reminded that this product presents no risk to human health and is safe to eat. White spot disease affects prawns and other crustaceans, but presents no risk to humans or other animals.
  • Make sure you cook and eat any prawns you have purchased from the supermarket -  do not use prawns meant for human consumption as bait, or discard unused prawns (or parts of prawns) in Australia’s waterways.
 
Enhanced measures for goods in transit

  • Importers of consignments of uncooked prawns already on their way to Australia when the suspension was implemented will be given the choice to re-export, destroy or have their consignment tested as part of an enhanced inspection and testing regime.
  • The enhanced inspection process will ensure consignments that have not been released from biosecurity control are held seals intact until inspection and sampling can occur.
  • Testing at AAHL typically takes a minimum of two days, however, due to the backlog of tests to be conducted there have been delays to testing timeframes. There is no way to expedite testing.
  • AAHL is unable to provide updates on particular consignments and clients are advised to wait until the department contacts them with their results.
 
Survey of fishers

  • The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has been conducting surveys of fishers in the Logan River south of Brisbane.
  • The survey is being conducted over three days commencing on Australia Day and will take place at popular fishing locations on the river.
  • It is being conducted to assist in identifying the extent to which  raw imported prawns for human consumption may be being used as bait in the river.
  • The survey is voluntary and is separate to patrols and other regulatory action being conducted by Queensland state authorities.
  • The results of the survey will be used to assist the department with the ongoing investigation into the white spot syndrome virus that has been detected in prawn farms adjacent to the Logan River.