BIOSECURITY AUSTRALIA ADVICE 2009/30 EXTENSION OF POLICY TO INCLUDE THE IMPORTATION OF RED RAINBOWFISH FOR ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES

This Biosecurity Australia Advice (BAA) informs stakeholders that Biosecurity Australia has recommended to the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) that live red rainbowfish (Glossolepsis incisus) be permitted import for ornamental purposes.

Australia currently allows the importation of specific species of ornamental fish, subject to quarantine measures established by an import risk analysis (IRA) of ornamental finfish completed in 1999. The species permitted importation is based on the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) List of specimens suitable for live import under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999). DEWHA has added red rainbowfish to its live import list. As a result, Biosecurity Australia has undertaken a policy review of the biosecurity risks associated with the importation of rainbowfish (Family Melantotaeniidae) for ornamental purposes that included the release of a draft policy review for 30 days stakeholder comment on 2 October 2009 (BAA 2009/24).

One stakeholder provided comments and these have been considered in finalising the review. The main comment from the stakeholder was to recommend a longer post-arrival quarantine (PAQ) period due to a lack of information on rainbowfish and their diseases. Although recognising scientific information on disease agents of rainbowfish is limited, the consultant’s report and Biosecurity Australia’s literature review did not identify any pests or diseases associated with rainbowfish that were not already identified in Australia or covered by the 1999 IRA. Consequently, Biosecurity Australia considers that it is appropriate for the PAQ period to remain at one week, as per the standard requirement applying to the majority of ornamental fish as recommended in the 1999 IRA.

Biosecurity Australia has now finalised the review and has recommended to AQIS that live red rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus) be allowed importation subject to meeting the current import conditions for freshwater ornamental fish, which include:

• Pre-export quarantine for two weeks in premises approved by the exporting country’s competent authority
• Veterinary certification
• Inspection on arrival
• PAQ for one week in quarantine premises approved by AQIS.

Rainbowfish imported under these conditions must be of a size that can be identified to species level. For further details see AQIS Import Conditions Database: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import.

AQIS will take Biosecurity Australia’s advice into account when considering applications for import permits.

Please pass this notice to other interested parties. If those parties wish to be included in future communications on this matter they should get in touch with the contact officer. Alternatively, if you wish to be removed from the distribution list, please advise the contact officer.

Information on import risk analyses being conducted by Biosecurity Australia is available on the Biosecurity Australia website.

ROBYN MARTIN
General Manager
Animal Biosecurity
Contact officer: Kally Gross
Telephone no: (02) 6272 4807
Facsimile no: (02) 6272 3399
E-mail Kally.Gross@Biosecurity.gov.au