THE biosecurity system designed to protect Australia’s farmed prawn industry is under fire with ABC TV’s Four Corners program claiming that prawns infected with white spot are still making their way into supermarket fridges.
The claim follows the samples taken from 10 retail outlets and tested by University of the Sunshine Coast Professor Wayne Knibb. A third of the samples were found to have been infected.
However, the Federal Department of Agriculture says information received from Prof Knibb showed Four Corners’ conclusions were flawed. The department says testing conducted by Prof Knibb, at the request of the ABC, included products that were not subject to the enhanced import conditions that Four Corners reported to have failed.
“Information from Prof Knibb indicates that all plain imported raw prawns tested for the ABC tested negative for White Spot Syndrome Virus,” the department says.
“Therefore, the claim that ‘it seems … consignments did get through’ enhanced border measures is not supported by the tests conducted.”
The department argues there is an important distinction to be made between the presence of viral DNA and the presence of viable virus. It says a positive result does not necessarily mean that the virus in the prawn is infective.
“For that reason the methodology and testing dramatically alters the conclusions that can be drawn.”
The department says cooked, breaded, battered and crumbed prawns are not required to be virus free.
“The testing that is used to detect viral DNA in prawns is very sensitive. For example, a cooked prawn may test positive for the virus, but it is unlikely that the virus would be infective. However, the same cooked prawn could contaminate other prawns that it comes into contact with (such as in the supermarket), leading to positive results given the presence of viral DNA.”
(Prawn farmers) feel not enough has been done to stop white spot entering our country and waterways, putting their livelihoods and the livelihoods of future generations at significant risk
- Kim Hooper, APFA
Australian Prawn Farmers Association executive officer Kim Hooper said prawn farmers were angry.
“They feel not enough has been done to stop white spot entering our country and waterways, putting their livelihoods and the livelihoods of future generations at significant risk,” Ms Hooper said.
“Four Corners alleges serious breaches by individuals to successfully evade Australia’s biosecurity system. We ask the department what is happening regarding these prosecutions? At the end of the day it is our industry, our farmers, their families and Australia’s reputation that is being hurt.
“From what was shown, the biosecurity risk level is not low, and Australia should not be importing raw product from white spot infected countries until the appropriate level of protection is achieved.”
Ms Hooper said because of our ongoing concerns prawn farmers had commissioned Dr Matt Landos in May to undertake retail testing from supermarkets around the Gold Coast region.
“These were of uncooked prawn meat products,” Ms Hooper said.
“Out of 18 retail samples one returned positive. Dr Landos provided this information to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in early June.
“This is only a small sample but concerning to us nonetheless, and we welcome news by the department yesterday that they are undertaking their own testing and hope the complete results will be shared with industry as soon as the results are known.”
Seafood Industry Australia chief executive officer Jane Lovell said the industry was concerned by allegations of deliberate evasion of Australia's strict biosecurity and quarantine procedures.
“As we saw during the 2016, any major biosecurity breach has the potential to wipe out an entire sector of Australia’s agriculture industry and impact the country’s economy,” Ms Lovell said.
“SIA is also concerned that the integrity of our biosecurity system can be compromised by insufficient resources.
“Without enough staff to review and revise import risk assessments, we run the risk of increasing biosecurity breaches. Insufficient resourcing means there is increased risk from these types of diseases for not only the seafood industry, but the entire agriculture industry.
“Now is not the time for cutbacks.
“(Federal Agriculture) Minister (David) Littleproud’s recent announcement of increased funding for biosecurity, including marine pests, is welcome. But, the question remains whether this is enough.”
White spot virus poses not threat to humans but is devastating to prawn populations. The 2016 outback is estimated to have cost the industry $400 million, resulting in the closure of eight farms on the Logan River. Infected, imported green prawns used as cheap bait as suspected as one possible source of the disease.
