White Spot

• Never use prawns intended for human consumption as bait. Using imported raw prawns as bait may introduce serious diseases into our waterways
• When fishing, always source your bait from a trusted bait supplier, such as a tackle shop, or catch your own^#
• It is illegal to bring bait caught in south-east Queensland to NSW, source your bait from a trusted supplier local to the area you intend to fish
• Dispose of your prawn waste (heads or shells) in general waste, never into our waterways
• Make ‘clean’ part of your routine, wash your vehicles and gear between waterways
• If you catch your own bait, use it only in the water from where you caught it
• If you are a recreational fisher, please refer to important information for recreational fishers - use of prawns as bait

^#  Refer to NSW Fishing rules and regulations

• Follow your permit conditions, including those relating to biosecurity
• report any unusual mortalities or suspicions of White Spot to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or a local Fisheries Officer as soon as possible, and within 24 hours
• Ensure your Biosecurity Plan is up-to-date based on current biosecurity requirements and guidelines and being implemented to minimise the risks of aquatic disease entering your property
• Use separate equipment where practical. If unable, please decontaminate minimise unnecessary visitors to production areas of your farm and find out where delivery trucks and other visitors have previously visited before accepting them on site
• DPI Primefact - NSW Prawn Farms: Enhanced biosecurity measures

• Be aware of the control order currently in place on uncooked prawns, decapod crustaceans (including lobsters, crabs, slipper lobsters, Moreton Bay bugs) and polychaete worms (including beach worms) originating from within the Clarence River Control Area and an area between Caloundra and Tweed Heads in south-east Queensland.
• Ensure that you are not buying or selling uncooked prawns, decapod crustaceans, or polychaete worms (for bait or human consumption) in NSW that have been sourced from within the Clarence River Control Area or the affected area in south-east Queensland, unless they have been treated in accordance with the control order.
• Movement (or transiting through) control areas into NSW (or to other areas of NSW) of uncooked decapod crustaceans destined for human consumption only, not bait, can only occur if they have originated from outside the control areas, the packaging remains secure, the grower and packer details are clearly displayed and they are transported directly to a point of sale in NSW for human consumption.
• Note: there are no movement restrictions on cooked decapod crustaceans that are securely packaged and transported directly to a point of sale in NSW.

• The Control Order prohibits the movement into NSW of uncooked prawns, decapod crustaceans, and polychaete worms (marine worms) originating from both
  • the Clarence River Control Zone, and
  • the area between Caloundra and Tweed Heads in south east Queensland .
• Certain high value decapod crustaceans, including lobsters, mud crabs, blue swimmer crabs, spanner crabs, and slipper lobsters (Moreton Bay bugs), are classified as excluded carriers and may be moved out of the control zone uncooked subject to these conditions:
  • It is being moved for human consumption
  • It is cooked by the end consumer as soon as possible after arriving at its destination, and
  • If it is alive, it is not placed in waters to which the Fisheries Management Act 1994 applies.
• You are required to ensure that:
  • Any water used for the transport of the excluded carrier is disposed of through a public sewer
  • Any waste produced for the transport of the excluded carrier is disposed of at a waste depot.
  • The transportation of the excluded carrier is accompanied by documents which state the date the excluded carrier was captured or harvested and the location in the Control Zone where it was captured or harvested.
• Fittings used in the control areas in connection with cultivation or commercial catch of live or dead decapod crustaceans or polychaete worms are also prohibited from entry into NSW unless they are cleaned in accordance with a protocol approved by the NSW Chief Veterinary Officer.
• If trading interstate, check with the appropriate state for their restrictions as they differ from state to state.

White Spot affects decapod crustaceans including prawns, crabs and lobsters. It is highly contagious to farmed prawns and other cultured crustaceans, and can cause high rates of mortality in affected stock.

It was the cause of significant mortality in prawn farms in south-east Queensland in 2016. It was detected and eradicated from an enclosed prawn facility in NSW in August 2022.

Prior to the detection in February 2023, it was initially discovered within an enclosed facility at a prawn farm in northern NSW via routine testing and was confirmed by laboratory analysis on 23 August 2022.

White Spot had never been detected in NSW prior to August 2022.

Since 2016, DPI has been conducting routine surveillance in NSW with no evidence of White Spot.

Surveillance completed on 7 September 2022 found no evidence of White Spot in NSW wild prawn populations.

Ongoing tracing and surveillance activities are being undertaken to identify the source of the White Spot outbreak and how it entered NSW.

What is NSW DPI doing to stop the spread of White Spot disease?

DPI has responded swiftly and continues to work closely with the affected businesses, seafood industry and other state and federal jurisdictions to ensure rapid containment and management of the detection on the northern NSW prawn farms.

The Control Order restricting the movement of raw, uncooked decapod crustaceans and polychaete worms from the Clarence River Control Zone has been extended for up to two years, until June 2025, to support business and trade continuity in NSW and other parts of Australia.

The control order includes new requirements which will enhance existing biosecurity measures on NSW prawn farms.

The NSW Government has had movement restrictions in place to limit the risk of White Spot entering our state since it was first detected in Queensland in 2016. These restrictions continue under this control order.

Surveillance within the Clarence River Estuary commenced on 16 February 2023. No confirmed cases of White Spot have been found in the estuary.

Prawn farm surveillance and DNA sequencing tests indicate the strain of White Spot virus detected on prawn farms in February 2023 shows strong similarity to the strain detected in NSW in August 2022. It is not the same as the south-east Queensland strain detected in 2016.

NSW DPI has undertaken extensive sampling of wild caught prawns and crabs from the Clarence River Estuary for White Spot with no positive detections found in more than 2500 samples.

A surveillance plan to support proof of freedom from the Clarence River Control Zone, has been approved by the national Aquatic Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease (AqCCEAD). This surveillance plan is consistent with the Australian Aquatic Veterinary Emergency Plan (AQUAVETPLAN) Disease Strategy - White Spot disease and the WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Code.

Proof of freedom surveillance will be implemented once all three prawn farms have been decontaminated. If White Spot is not detected during the two-year proof of freedom phase, NSW will move to ‘self-declare’ freedom to the World Organisation for Animal Health and revise the movement restrictions, as required. If White Spot is detected, NSW DPI will work closely with affected industry stakeholders and other Australian jurisdictions to determine appropriate steps.

White Spot causes major impacts on the prawn farming and prawn fishing communities and associated industries on which many people rely to make a living.

NSW DPI has worked closely with the affected prawn farms, industry and our state and federal counterparts to contain and manage this detection. Formal control measures were promptly issued to the affected farms. Tracing and surveillance are underway. A control order, first issued on Thursday 16 February 2023 has been extended for up to two years, until June 2025. This control order restricts the movement of raw, uncooked decapod crustaceans from an area defined as the Clarence River Control Zone, and requires enhanced biosecurity measures on NSW prawn farms, while containment, source detection and surveillance activities are underway.

Prawns with White Spot may have:

• a loose carapace
• high degrees of colour variation, with a predominance of darkened (red-brown or pink) body surface and appendages
• white calcium deposits embedded in the shell, causing white spots 0.5 – 3.0 mm in diameter

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility. Everybody plays a part in safeguarding Australia’s and NSW’s biosecurity to help protect our economy, environment, community and reputation as a clean and safe producer of healthy seafood.

If you suspect White Spot in NSW prawns, please call the Emergency Animal Disease 24-hour Hotline, 1800 675 888.

More information about White Spot can be found on the Australian Government outbreak.gov.au website.

The Control Order restricting the movement of raw, uncooked decapod crustaceans and polychaete worms from the Clarence River Control Zone, and requiring enhanced biosecurity measures on NSW prawn farms, has been extended for up to two years, until June 2025, to support business and trade continuity in NSW and other parts of Australia.

Prawns, crabs and other crustaceans are being tested for the presence of White Spot during this two-year period according to a nationally agreed proof of freedom surveillance plan. NSW management of white spot will be reassessed according to the results of the surveillance.

Yes, raw high valued crustaceans defined as ‘excluded carriers’ under the Control Order can be moved uncooked into and within NSW, including for sale purposes, provided that:

• It is being moved for human consumption
• It is cooked by the end consumer as soon as possible after arriving at its destination, and
• If it is alive, it is not placed in waters to which the Fisheries Management Act 1994 applies.

You are required to ensure that:

• Any water used for the transport of the excluded carrier is disposed of through a public sewer,
• Any waste produced for the transport of the excluded carrier is disposed of at a waste depot,
• The transportation of the excluded carrier is accompanied by documents which state:
  • The date the excluded carrier was captured or harvested, and
  • The location in the Control Zone where it was captured or harvested.

Yes, DPI has participated in the national White Spot surveillance program since the Queensland detection. White Spot has not been detected in NSW waters before this current 2023 event.

• Long-term White Spot surveillance plan - Fact sheet

On the initial report, assessments are undertaken to review each individual case. White Spot disease in Australia is guided by the agreed national disease strategy – AQUAVETPLAN – Disease Strategy White Spot

Once suspicion of White Spot disease has been confirmed, the Australian Chief Veterinary Officer (ACVO) is notified and the relevant agency and ACVO request a meeting of the Aquatic Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease (AqCCEAD).

AqCCEAD membership comprises the ACVO, state and territory chief veterinary officers or directors of fisheries and representatives from the relevant Australian Government authority and the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

AqCCEAD shares information and makes decisions on the management of an emergency aquatic animal disease incident until it decides the disease or threat no longer exists, or a national response is no longer required. NSW DPI uses the Biosecurity Act 2015 to enact legal instruments (such as a control order) based on the biosecurity risk. A control order can be made by the Minister if there is reasonable belief it is necessary to prevent, eliminate, minimize or manage a biosecurity risk or impact.

NSW DPI issued a control order on 16 February 2023 to restrict the movement of raw, uncooked prawns, other decapod crustaceans (such as crabs and lobsters) and polychaete worms from the Clarence River Control Zone. This was extended on 1 and 27 March 2023 and 8 June 2023 and will remain in force until June 2025.

NSW DPI is working closely with industry and FRDC to better manage impacts of White Spot. This includes active extension programs to increase awareness in the industry.

NSW DPI is actively communicating with recreational fishers to stress the importance of never using prawns intended for human consumption as baitand delivering important information  to help protect the prawn industry.

This Control Order applies to everyone who fishes within the Clarence River Control Zone, including recreational fishers and anyone who catches, handles or uses:

• Prawns (including school, tiger and banana prawns)
• Yabbies, nippers and shrimp (used as fishing bait)
• Lobsters and Moreton Bay bugs (often wild caught for human consumption)
• Crabs (including Blue Swimmer, Mud, Hermit and three-spotted crabs)
• Beach worms

Yes, you can move uncooked excluded carriers from the Control Zone into and within NSW provided that:

• It is being moved for human consumption
• It is cooked as soon as possible after arriving at its destination, and
• If it is alive, it is not placed in waters to which the Fisheries Management Act 1994 applies.

Excluded carrier species include:

• blue swimmer crab (Portunus armatus),
• bug (Ibacus spp. and Thenus spp.),
• mud crab (Scylla spp.),
• red champagne lobster (Linuparus trigonus),
• slipper lobster (Scyllarides spp.),
• spanner crab (Ranina ranina),
• three-spotted crab (Portunus sanguinolentus),
• rocklobster (family Palinuridae).

No, unless:

• The products are cooked in the zone and
• They are for commercial sale, not personal use or
• They are listed as an excluded carrier in the Clarence River Control Order.

Excluded carriers can be moved out of the control zone if the conditions in the Control Order are followed.

Yes, cooking carried out by recreational anglers within the zone and then eaten is permitted. This is strictly limited to ‘within the zone’ and can only occur on a boat using personal equipment.

A recreational fisher cannot take these crustaceans home to cook – that is prohibited under the Control Order.

Yes, as long as:

• They are not live decapod crustaceans
• They are intended for commercial sale, not personal use
• They came from outside the Control Zone and have only entered the Control Zone to transit through it
• They are transported by the most direct route to the destination
• They are transported in a way that prevents any contamination with White Spot disease, and
• They are packaged and labelled with the location of where they were grown, capture or harvested, and the details of who the grower or fisher was that produced or harvested them.