Please see the latest information regarding activities being undertaken as part of the re-establishment of prawn imports.
Brunei Darussalam's Competent Authority confirm they can meet Australia's enhanced import conditions for uncooked prawns.
- The Brunei Department of Fisheries has written to the department to confirm it can meet Australia's enhanced import conditions for uncooked prawns. Further information will be provided on the department's website early next week.
End of prawn suspension and new import conditions for prawns and prawn products for human consumption:
- The import suspension of uncooked prawns lapsed at midnight on 6 July 2017.
- Enhanced import conditions were implemented on 7 July 2017, to allow for safe trade in prawns and prawn products. These import conditions have been developed to meet Australia's appropriate level of protection (ALOP). These conditions can be found at: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk-analysis/memos/ba2017-12
- As of 21 July 2017, Competent Authorities from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Bangladesh, India and Brunei Darussalam have provided written confirmation to the department that they can meet Australia's import conditions.
- Importers are responsible for ensuring that the conditions on the import permit are complied with before importing goods into Australia.
- This includes ensuring that there are relevant procedures in place for the exporting country to certify that the prawns are disease free and that a health certificate is supplied that attests to Australia's enhanced import requirements. Should importers wish to seek advice about the validity of the health certification, they can contact the department.
· The department has also written to the Competent Authorities in Indonesia, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore and the United States of America. The department is working closely with trading partners to ensure trade can be resumed as quickly as possible with these countries.
· The department will provide further Import Industry Advice Notices once Competent Authorities confirm, in writing, that they can meet the enhanced import conditions.
Sampling and Laboratory testing program for new imports of uncooked prawns in Australia:
- Samples of prawns for WSSV and YHV testing will be taken by biosecurity officers under seals intact conditions at Approved Arrangement sites. 13 samples of 5 prawns each (65 in total) are randomly selected from each importer-declared batch. A batch cannot be greater than 1 shipping container.
- Importers will nominate which one of the three approved laboratories will perform WSSV and YHV testing. Costs associated with this testing will be borne by the importer.
- The department is overseeing the development of a more standardised testing procedure that will be used consistently by all testing laboratories and independently verified by the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA).
- The method used in approved laboratories is based on the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests in the current version of the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals or equivalent.
- To improve the consistency of testing results, the approved laboratories are required to implement the following actions for WSSV testing of imported prawns from 7 July 2017:
- The real-time PCR must run for 45 cycles.
- A negative result is where there is no amplification of WSSV DNA within 45 cycles (Ct) in all 13 samples.
- A positive result is where there is detectable amplification of WSSV DNA before 40 cycles (Ct<40) in any one of the 13 samples.
- A suspected positive results where there is detectable amplification between 40 and 45 cycles in any one of the 13 samples
- When a laboratory determines one or more suspected positive results in a batch, the laboratory should advise the importer to request confirmatory testing from AAHL.
- Note, only those samples testing suspected positive would be subject to confirmatory testing, not samples that tested negative at the approved laboratories.
- If the importer chooses not to request confirmatory testing for suspected positive samples, a batch of prawns containing one or more suspected positive samples will be reported as positive for WSSV.
- In cases where there are positive and suspected positive samples in the batch, the importer also has the option to request confirmatory testing for those samples at AAHL.
o For confirmatory testing, AAHL also uses Ct of 45 as cut-off for negative samples. If suspected positive samples produce Ct value before 45 cycles, these samples will be reported as positive. This is because AAHL can conduct additional testing to further confirm these samples are positive for WSSV.
- Australia's import testing regime provides a 95 percent level of confidence that if the disease is present, it will be detected 95 percent of the time at a 5 percent prevalence level of the batch being tested. This is consistent with an appropriate level of protection and allows safe trade to continue. Given that the disease will normally be present in a much higher percentage in a farmed prawn population, the level of confidence is actually more likely to exceed a 99 per cent level of confidence. This sampling regimen is based on an accepted statistical model that provides confidence in disease testing.
- It should be noted that imported uncooked prawns are subject to a suite of enhanced risk management measures, not just on-shore testing.
Crumbed, Battered and Breaded Prawn Inspections:
Management options for raw imported prawns held at Approved Arrangements:
Direction to manage biosecurity risks:
- As part of the department's on-going comprehensive uncooked prawn withdrawal process, it has identified and contacted approximately 130 domestic cold storage facilities. These facilities have been directed to secure any uncooked prawns and to advise the department. Where uncooked prawns are identified, they will be subject to sampling and testing for WSSV.
- The department continues to work with Biosecurity Industry Participants (BIPs) to manage the potential biosecurity risk of secured uncooked prawns held at an Approved Arrangement site.
- The department is continuing inspections and is contacting relevant parties to arrange inspections.
- As part of this process the goods are being brought back under biosecurity control while the risk assessment is taking place. Both brokers and BIPs will receive notification and directions relating to this testing.
- If you have received a direction and have any questions please email prawnliaisonofficer@agriculture.gov.au.
- If you have received an invoice for costs associated with the inspection and sampling of secured product and you do not believe the charges should be invoiced to you, please advise our accounts receivable and debt management section at ARHelpdesk@agriculture.gov.au and inform them of the details of the correct billing party. The AR Helpdesk will be able to amend the billing information on the invoice and redirect to the company directly:
- Please provide the following information when contacting the AR Helpdesk: details of the billing party including their name, address and contact details.
Have you received an inspection direction?
- Brokers and importers are encouraged to contact the department to book inspections or to organise exports for consignments that have been directed for inspection. This will assist in reducing delays and assist the department with planning inspection activities.
- To book, please contact the Client Contact Group on 1800 900 090.
- If you or your broker have received an inspection direction as a result of the letter from the department placing the goods back under biosecurity control, a departmental representative from the Inspections Services Group will be in contact with you in the next week or so to arrange a time for the inspection and sampling for the goods that are on hold. You do not need to call the department to arrange an inspection.
Inspection Requirements:
Export Procedures:
Enquiries to the department regarding your consignment:
- In order to process your request for information quickly and efficiently, please ensure your consignment entry number(s) relating to the enquiry is included.
Useful links
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/uncooked-prawns
http://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-responses-to-outbreaks/white-spot-disease
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/animal-industries/animal-health-and-diseases/a-z-list/white-spot-disease/use-of-bait-prawns
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/animal/aquatic/aquavetplan/white-spot
Biosecurity (Suspended Goods – Uncooked Prawns) Determination 2017: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L00034
To view the 4 previous amendments to the suspension, click 'details' then expand the 'Unincorporated Amendments' or follow the links below:
Please feel free to forward this email to your members or other interested parties.
If you received a forwarded copy of this email and would like to be included on the mailing list please send your name, organisation, email address and contact number to prawnliaisonofficer@agriculture.gov.au
Kind regards
Victoria
Victoria Dennis
Prawn Liaison Officer
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Hotline: 1800 068 468
Email: prawnliaisonofficer@agriculture.gov.au