2022-02 - Additional engagement with stakeholder groups: review of live sheep exports by sea to, or through, the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer

02 February 2022

Attention

• All

Purpose

To advise stakeholders that the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is undertaking additional stakeholder engagement as part of its review of live sheep exports by sea to, or through, the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer.

Key points

• When the department implemented new regulatory settings for live sheep exports to, or through, the Middle East by sea during the Northern Hemisphere summer in 2020, it undertook to review the export conditions after two Northern Hemisphere summer periods (i.e. after the end of the 2021 Northern Hemisphere summer). The department has been continually monitoring Northern Hemisphere summer voyages.
• The department originally planned to publish a final report by the end of February 2022 to provide producers and exporters sufficient time to source and prepare consignments for the 2022 Northern Hemisphere summer in line with any changes coming out of the review.
• The department received over 700 submissions in response to the draft report, which was released on 17 December 2021.
• Given the high level of interest in the review, the implications for animal welfare and the need to consider the practicalities of any changes to export requirements, the department will undertake additional engagement with stakeholder groups, including animal welfare organisations, exporters and their industry representatives, and livestock producer representatives.
  • Engagement will include round table discussions, video/teleconferences and, where possible, face to face meetings.
  • Engagement will focus on proposed revisions to prohibition dates and additional conditions.
  • The department will consider all new scientific evidence gained through the additional engagement process as part of the review, as well as the practical applicability of additional conditions.
  • The department will contact relevant stakeholders to arrange discussions.
• While there is no set date for finalising the review, it is important to finalise conditions for sheep exported to the Persian Gulf (other than Kuwait) in time for the start of the 2022 Northern Hemisphere summer.
  • New, detailed analysis of the climate in the Middle East by the Bureau of Meteorology indicated that voyages to most Persian Gulf markets (other than Kuwait) are likely to experience hotter conditions for 10 days prior and 7 days after the current prohibition period than could be determined when the prohibition periods were prescribed in 2019. 
    • That is, there is greater than a 5% chance that voyages will encounter ambient wet bulb temperatures (WBTs) above 29oC for 10 days prior to, and 7 days after, the current prohibition period
  • To manage heat stress risks to sheep exported during this time, measures will need to be in place to reduce WBTs on the decks and/or increase the heat stress threshold of exported sheep.

Background

• The department is reviewing the effectiveness of regulatory settings for the export of live sheep by sea to, or through, the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer (1 May to 31 October), including the prohibition on all exports during the hottest months of the Northern Hemisphere summer.
• Key issues considered in the review include:
  • the effectiveness of the current regulatory settings in reducing the occurrence of heat stress and heat-related mortalities
  • whether the current regulatory settings are maintaining acceptable animal welfare outcomes, and supporting the sustainability of the live sheep export industry
  • evidence-based options to maintain or modify the prohibition dates.
• On 17 December 2021, the department released a draft report for public consultation via the Have Your Say webpage at http://haveyoursay.awe.gov.au/NHS-prohibition-review. The consultation period concluded on 28 January 2022.
• The draft report recommends changes to the prohibition periods currently specified in the Export Control (Animals) Rules 2021 (Animals Rules) defining:
  • absolute prohibition periods for nominated destinations that align with the hottest, most humid part of the Northern Hemisphere summer and where heat stress risks in live sheep export voyages cannot effectively be mitigated, and
  • conditional prohibition periods for some destinations where heat stress risks can effectively be mitigated through the application of additional measures including upper weight limits, selection of heat tolerant breeds, wool length requirements, minimum vessel pen air turnover (PAT) scores, additional space on board, additional preparation time and feeding requirements at Registered Establishments and increasing fodder provided during the voyage.
• Depending on the final outcome of the review, the department may make changes to the Animals Rules.

Morag Donaldson
Director
Animal Welfare Branch
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Kendall Crocker
Contact officer
Phone: 02 6272 3396
Email Animal.Welfare@agriculture.gov.au