Managing white spot disease

Queensland manages white spot disease (WSD) by implementing the following measures to minimise the risk of spread and protect aquaculture and wild fisheries.

Current situation

WSD is established in wild crustaceans within the movement regulated area.

As the virus is now established in the wild, Queensland focuses on containment and long-term management to minimise further spread and protect unaffected areas.

We takes a proactive approach by:

  • maintaining restrictions to reduce the risk of spread
  • monitoring for any spread outside Moreton Bay
  • providing practical guidance to fishers and aquaculture farms
  • supporting national biosecurity measures where applicable.

Biosecurity framework

Queensland's biosecurity framework underpins its approach to managing WSD:

  • The Biosecurity (White Spot Syndrome Virus) Amendment Regulation 2017 declares all of Queensland a biosecurity zone for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)
  • Designated exclusion areas are specified in the Notice of Establishment of Biosecurity Areas. These areas are determined based on advice from an expert advisory panel and an independent report on future management options for WSD.

This framework ensures a coordinated and effective response to the disease.

Movement and fishing restrictions

To reduce the risk of disease transmission:

  • movement restrictions are in place within the movement regulated area in Moreton Bay
  • fishing restrictions apply around prawn farms in the Logan River region to prevent the introduction of disease to aquaculture farms.

Watch this video to learn more about why movement restrictions are important:

  • White spot disease has been found in Queensland and it could threaten our natural waterways.

    Unfortunately all this could be at risk.

    This was the largest aquatic animal disease outbreak in Queensland's history.

    White spot disease is caused by a virus that affects crustaceans such as prawns, crabs, lobsters and yabbies.

    The disease can result in mass mortalities in prawn farms and could have a devastating impact on our natural waterways.

    While it doesn't affect fish, we just don't know what impacts the disease could have on the marine food chain and the local fish stocks.

    Biosecurity Queensland has decontaminated the farms in South East Queensland where the disease was first found and they are also carrying out surveillance across the state for the virus that causes the disease.

    Now we all know prawns and crabs move around naturally but the disease could spread to new waterways if people take infected crustaceans out of the restricted area.

    The restriction area covers from Caloundra down to the New South Wales border and west to Ipswich.

    Now if you are planning a fishing trip away, wait until you get there to buy your bait.

    Just like these local beauties I've got here.

    And the prawns in the supermarket, don't use them for bait, they're for eating, not fishing.

    And prawns are perfectly safe to eat once they're cooked.

    That's why I love Queensland.

Watch video
- duration of 1:26

Surveillance and monitoring

Surveillance focuses on monitoring the spread of the virus in wild crustacean populations beyond the movement regulated area. Current annual surveillance occurs in waters north of Moreton Bay (Tin Can Bay area) in autumn.

Previous programs

A surveillance program for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) ran from 2017 to 2020 to determine the extent and prevalence of WSSV in Queensland by testing wild and farmed crustaceans across the state, including:

  • structured sampling within the movement regulated area
  • sampling at various locations along Queensland's east coast, from Caloundra to Cairns
  • participation in a national surveillance program, carried out in collaboration with other states and territories.

These maps provide detailed historical records of the surveillance results:

White spot disease is now considered established in wild crustacean populations inside the movement restriction area of Moreton Bay, following repeated positive detections of the virus identified by surveillance activities between 2018 and 2020.

Surveillance for the virus within Moreton Bay ceased after 2020.

Laboratory testing

To detect WSSV, surveillance teams collect crustacean samples and transport them to the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory.

At the laboratory:

  • DNA is extracted from tissue samples
  • real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is used to detect the virus's genetic material
  • positive test results may be sent to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmation.

This process ensures accurate detection of the virus and enables swift responses to potential outbreaks.

Report suspected cases

Under Queensland legislation, if you suspect WSD in any crustacean you must either: