White spot disease

White spot detection in NSW

White spot has been confirmed at a prawn facility in northern NSW.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries are working with the farm to contain and manage white spot onsite.

A temporary control order has been issued by NSW to restrict the movement of raw, uncooked green prawns from the Clarence Estuary. Containment, source detection and surveillance activities are underway.

In Queensland, movement restrictions are in place for high-risk animals such as prawns, yabbies and marine worms. This means they cannot be moved out of the Queensland white spot disease restricted area that extends from Caloundra to the New South Wales border and west to Ipswich, unless cooked first.

If you are using prawns as bait, make sure they are Australian wild-caught from a quality bait supplier or catch your own. Using imported raw prawns as bait may introduce serious diseases into our waterways.

Check out these great tips on how to catch your own bait or download the white spot disease information guide (PDF, 2.3MB).

Biosecurity areas

The restrictions imposed by the white spot disease biosecurity regulation apply to the whole-of-Queensland, except for the areas of exclusion established through a Notice of Establishment of Biosecurity Areas (PDF, 3.8MB).

Biosecurity programs

A Surveillance Program for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) commenced on 21 January 2017.

The Surveillance program (PDF, 4.3MB) will aid in confirming the presence or absence of WSSV by testing wild and farmed crustaceans across the state, including crustaceans and marine worms used for bait.

These biosecurity measures are supported by recommendations by the expert advisory panel, who have handed down their independent report into future management options of the disease (PDF, 566.1KB).

More white spot disease information

Last updated: 17 Feb 2023