Alerts

As advised on 30 August 2023, (BICON Case Alert - Prawns), from 30 October 2023, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (department) will begin implementing changes to the import conditions for prawns and prawn products for human consumption. These changes are in accordance with the recommendations of the Review of the biosecurity risks of prawns imported from all countries for human consumption.

Changes to import conditions for peeled prawns (including breaded, battered or crumbed prawns, and highly processed prawns)
The following additional import conditions will apply:

• Prawns must be frozen.
• Highly processed prawns must have been processed to the extent that no discernible pieces of meat are salvageable.
• The primary, retail ready, packaging of the product must be marked with the words 'for human consumption only - not to be used as bait or feed for aquatic animals'. Secondary, outer packaging is not considered the primary or retail ready package.
• The primary packaging must include the batch number which must match the batch number identified on the Official government certificate.

These changes will only be applied to import permits for applications received on or after 30 October 2023. Permit applications received prior to this date will continue to receive the current import conditions, and existing import permits will not be varied to reflect the new conditions.

Changes to import conditions for whole uncooked prawns:
From 30 October 2023, whole uncooked prawns must be free from the following additional pathogenic agents:

• “Candidatus Hepatobacter penaei” (chilled product only)
• covert mortality nodavirus
• decapod iridescent virus 1
• Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei
• infectious myonecrosis virus
• Laem-Singh virus
• Taura syndrome virus
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains containing Pir toxins
• white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)
• yellow head virus genotype 1 (YHV1).

Import permit holders of whole uncooked prawns will be contacted ahead of 30 October 2023 to notify them of the variation to import conditions.

Changes to government certificates for cooked prawns:
From 30 October 2023, government certificates from approved overseas authorities will be updated. From this date, the department will accept government certificates with either the existing or new attestations for cooked prawns:

• Existing: the prawns have been cooked in premises approved by and under the control of the Competent Authority and, as a result of the cooking process, all the prawn meat has coagulated, and no raw meat remains

OR

• New: The cooked prawns are frozen and have been cooked in premises approved by and under the control of the Competent Authority, have achieved a core temperature of at least 65°C and appear fully cooked

Other prawn products:
No changes have been made to the dried prawns, composite products containing dried prawns, and shelf-stable prawn and prawn products (including retorted prawns) conditions.

Who does this notice affect:
Importers of prawns and prawn products, Pathway Operations Cargo – Assessment and Inspection, BIST.

Further information:
Please contact the Food Biosecurity Imports Section on 1800 900 090 (prompt 1, then prompt 1) or email imports@aff.gov.au.