❓ Hon Bruce Donaldson raises concerns about imported raw prawns carrying viruses that pose a threat to WA's prawn industry. Hon Jon Ford acknowledges the issue, stating the state lacks the power to ban imports but is lobbying the Commonwealth for action and will raise awareness among stakeholders.
AnsweredQoN 742Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
IMPORTED PRAWNS - VIRUSES
I refer to the recent announcement on imported raw farm prawns that are carrying two identified virus strains, white spot and taurus syndrome. Although those viruses are not a threat to human consumption, they could pose a threat to our tiger prawn and wild-catch banana prawn industries. (1) Does the state have any power to ban imported raw prawns and allow only cooked prawns, which pose no threat, to be imported until a scientific investigation has been completed later this year? (2) If not, how does the minister propose to protect our prawning industry from this potential threat? Hon JON FORD
I refer to the recent announcement on imported raw farm prawns that are carrying two identified virus strains, white spot and taurus syndrome. Although those viruses are not a threat to human consumption, they could pose a threat to our tiger prawn and wild-catch banana prawn industries. (1) Does the state have any power to ban imported raw prawns and allow only cooked prawns, which pose no threat, to be imported until a scientific investigation has been completed later this year? (2) If not, how does the minister propose to protect our prawning industry from this potential threat? Hon JON FORD
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
(1) Does the state have any power to ban imported raw prawns and allow only cooked prawns, which pose no threat, to be imported until a scientific investigation has been completed later this year? (2) If not, how does the minister propose to protect our prawning industry from this potential threat? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
(2) If not, how does the minister propose to protect our prawning industry from this potential threat? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
(1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
(1) Does the state have any power to ban imported raw prawns and allow only cooked prawns, which pose no threat, to be imported until a scientific investigation has been completed later this year? (2) If not, how does the minister propose to protect our prawning industry from this potential threat? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
(2) If not, how does the minister propose to protect our prawning industry from this potential threat? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
(1)-(2) I am advised that we do not have that power. The commonwealth has the power to do that. This has been an ongoing dispute between this state, the Northern Territory and Queensland for some time. Some years ago the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory inadvertently used some of the prawns carrying white spot as feed and wiped out its private aquaculture farm. I have written to the commonwealth asking it to use a precautionary principle to place a ban until the risk assessment is completed in about two months. I understand the Queensland and Northern Territory ministers have done the same. I am meeting with them next week. In the meantime, we will write to importers, retailers, fishing outlets and other relevant fish industries asking them to be aware of this risk and to not use these prawns as bait because that is where the risk lies. Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
Hon Bruce Donaldson is right, there is no risk to human consumption; it is a bio-risk to our wild stock, particularly aquaculture.
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