A two-year control order preventing the harvesting of prawns from the Clarence River announced as part of a $21.4 million biosecurity response package to White Spot virus could be the death knell for an industry already on its knees, if not managed properly, says the Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-operative.

Clarence River Fisherman’s Co-operative CEO Danielle Adams thanked the NSW government for its support of the Clarence prawn industry.

“Without this support package the industry was facing ruination,” she said.

“It is timely and appropriate that we are supported through this very difficult period and the new NSW Government has stepped forward with support.”

Ms Adams said the three Palmers Island prawn farms where White Spot was detected will be decontaminated by the end of July.

“Once that decontamination process is completed the wild harvest industry then faces a two-year Proof of Freedom period, separate to the control order, with comprehensive surveillance and testing of prawns throughout and adjacent to the Clarence to ensure the area is free of the disease in the wild,” Ms Adams said.

“Given that this disease outbreak was highly likely to have occurred as a result of failed biosecurity measures at the border with imported green prawns, we will also be approaching the Australian Government for further support.”

But Ms Adams said if the control order on the Clarence Estuary is not managed well, there won’t be a prawn industry on the Northern Rivers in two years’ time.

“This is a critical industry for the northern rivers and our state and needs urgent, long-term support to make it through this fishing ban”, Ms Adams said.

“The industry is also baffled by the inconsistent standards that apply to domestically caught prawns and imported prawns, compounding the situation.”

One of the standards Ms Adams is referring to allows imported prawns into Australia from countries where White Spot is endemic, with only ‘batch testing’ conducted.

“We can’t have one standard for fishers in NSW catching prawns but allow imported prawns into Australia that pose a significant biosecurity risk,” Ms Adams said.

“Federal and state governments need to act immediately to fix this loophole.”

Clarence MP Richie Williamson said the NSW Government announced a $21.4 million funding package that only adds up to $18.5 million over two years, half of which simply waives administration fees.

Mr Williamson said the NSW Labor Government needs to offer a significant financial support package for the local fishing industry following the two-year lockdown on the movement of raw prawns from the Clarence Estuary.

“Through no fault of their own, prawn trawlers have been tied up since February with no income stream,” Mr Williamson said.

“The fishing industry was already impacted from last year’s floods and this two-year extension will decimate the industry if a genuine financial compensation is not forthcoming.”

Mr Williamson said both the NSW and Federal Labor Governments need to step up with an urgent support package that reflects the gravity of the situation.

“The industry is on its knees,” he said.

“Financial support needs to be extended to the commercial fishers and their families, the prawn farmers and the processor, the Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-operative, otherwise the industry will simply collapse.”

Mr Williamson said Australia’s biosecurity measures also need to be examined which allow importation of raw prawns from White Spot infected countries with only ‘batch testing’.

NSW shadow Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said the two-year control order had been dropped on the industry without any certainty for the future.

“There is no detail on how the support announced for the prawn fishers can be used or whether it will be enough to get them through a two-year ban without an income,” he said.

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 21 June 2023.

Related stories: Two-year lockout in $21m Clarence prawn package, Third White Spot detection as fishermen face a 2-year control order, Class action planned over White Spot, White spot order crippling Clarence fishermen