1 March 2017
Who does this notice affect?
This notice is of interest to importers of (certain/specific) uncooked prawns and uncooked prawn meat products and associated industry participants and retailers.
What has changed?
The Director of Biosecurity has varied the Biosecurity (Suspended goods – uncooked prawns) Determination 2017 (Determination) under subsection 182(5) of the Biosecurity Act 2015.
The Director of Biosecurity has agreed to exempt the following goods from the suspension:
- Uncooked prawns and uncooked prawn meat harvested within Australia (other than the area to which the WSSV Movement Control Order [1] relates), and sent to the External Territories.
- Uncooked prawns and uncooked prawn meat harvested from the External Territories, and imported into mainland Australia; or moved between the External Territories.
- Uncooked prawns harvested within Australia (wild caught in Australian territory other than the area to which to WSSV Movement Control Order relates) exported to Thailand for processing in a facility approved by Thailand’s Department of Fisheries (DoF), and re-exported to Australia. Exemption commences 6 March 2017.
- Uncooked prawns and uncooked prawn meat imported into Australia (1) as transshipped goods for outgoing passenger vessels engaged in international travels; (2) as laboratory or food samples for analysis. Exemption commenced 28 February 2017.
These exemptions are a result of the department’s ongoing work to resume the safe trade in uncooked prawns and prawn products as soon as possible. This work includes reviewing the biosecurity risk presented by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in uncooked prawns and uncooked prawn meat. The Director of Biosecurity agreed with the outcome of the review which concluded the above goods meet Australia’s appropriate level of protection with respect to WSSV.
Where applicable, import permit holders will be advised that their goods are no longer subject to the suspension.
Further information
Further information on these changes can be accessed on the Federal Register of Legislation.
Contact information
If you require further information please call 1800 900 090 or email Imports.
Biosecurity import conditions are available on the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions database (BICON).
1. Movement Control Order Notice (Logan and Albert Rivers) – White Spot Syndrome Virus accessed from White spot disease information.