5 replies to this topic

[Vebas]

Just received an email from Canberra saying they are delaying the changes to import laws on gouramis, cichlids and livebearers until March 2016 - so we have a stay of execution at least....

 

Cheers

Pacco

[Westie]

good news for the hobby

their website doesn't reflect this change yet

any chance you can share a link?

[Vebas]

Dear Ornamental fish importers

 

Further to our email of 30 January 2015, the Department of Agriculture has decided to delay the implementation of the new certification requirements for gouramis, cichlids and poeciliids for 12 months.

 

The new requirements will come into effect on 1 March 2016.

 

The majority of the main trading partners for imports of freshwater ornamental fish – Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand – have written to the department requesting a delay in implementing the new conditions. This delay will allow our trading partners to establish new laboratory testing procedures and surveillance programs in their countries. The department has also received a number of verbal requests and written submissions from industry members requesting the delay.

 

During these 12 months the department plans to:

• Work with the exporting countries to improve their laboratory capabilities and surveillance controls for iridoviruses,
• Work with the state and territory authorities to strengthen evidence of iridovirus freedom in domestic ornamental fish production industry, and
• Expand the on-arrival surveillance program trials nationally to identify the key biosecurity risk pathways for the virus.

 

The department would like you to take part in the on-arrival surveillance program trials. You can take part in these trials by providing us with fish samples to test for megalocytivirus. The department will pay the costs associated with this laboratory testing. The test results will be provided to the relevant competent authorities to assist them to target the highest risk areas of their freshwater ornamental fish export industry. The results will also be provided to each importer confidentially (i.e. if you participate you will get test results for your own fish, but not for other importers’ fish).

 

By taking part in the surveillance program you will be able to:

• Find out which of your exporters are sending you fish that are free of iridoviruses. This information can help you decide who to source fish that will meet the Australia’s biosecurity conditions for iridoviruses when the new certification requirements are implemented on 1 March 2016.

<>·Tell the department directly how any proposed new import conditions could affect your business so that we can consider modifying the conditions to have minimal financial impact on your business while managing biosecurity risks. For example, if the data suggest low risk associated with a particular pathway (i.e. a certain species from a particular exporter), we may be able to adjust samples sizes based on that data.

[LexAgate]

COOL BANANA'S thank you Canberra!


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[Craig]

Any updates on this and what kind of impact these changes are going to have on the availability of rarer imported fish (wild cichlids, altums, discus etc.)?

[Vebas]

Changes are definitely going ahead on the 1st March... what difference it makes to prices etc remains to be seen. They are apparently allowing the use of "sentinel" fish for testing so you can keep some cheap cichlids in the same water as the expensive ones before shipping then test the cheap ones rather than the expensive ones...

 

Cheers

Pacco