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Department of Agriculture

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  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Biosecurity
  4. Import risk analyses
  5. Animal import risk analyses
  6. Import of live sturgeon for aquaculture

Sidebar first - Biosecurity

  • Animal import risk analyses
    • Review of prawns and prawn products
      • Background: prawn and prawn products review
      • Prawn imports and biosecurity
      • Submissions received on the Review of prawns and prawn products – draft report
      • Submissions received on Australia’s current prawn import policy
    • Cooked turkey meat from the United States
      • Cooked turkey meat from the United States - Commencement of a review
    • Cooked duck meat from Thailand
    • Dairy products for human consumption
    • Fish and fish products for use as pet food and stockfeed
    • Hatching eggs of poultry
    • Import of live sturgeon for aquaculture
    • Natural sausage casings
    • Psittacine birds
    • Egg powder from approved countries
    • Zoo bovids from approved countries

Import of live sturgeon for aquaculture

On 21 June 2022, the department released a Notice of Intention to conduct a Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis (BIRA) under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and the Biosecurity Regulation 2016, in relation to the importation of live sturgeon for aquaculture. This commenced a 30-month timeframe to complete the BIRA.

We have published the final BIRA report and completed the BIRA. Development of the import conditions will now commence and is expected to take some time.

Decorative

BIRA: Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis
SAG: Scientific Advisory Group
IGB: Inspector-General of Biosecurity

The above timeline is based on the BIRA process as outlined in the Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis Guidelines 2016. Learn more about the BIRA Guidelines.

Steps to complete this risk analysis

When we do a risk analysis, we:

  • review the science on pests and diseases of concern, release an Issues Paper, and seek stakeholder feedback on hazards
  • assess and analyse biosecurity risks
  • develop proposed risk management measures
  • consult stakeholders on the draft report and then review comments
  • publish a final report
  • develop import conditions
  • publish import conditions in our Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON).

About this risk analysis

At the request of industry stakeholders, we are assessing the biosecurity risks associated with the import of live sturgeon (Acipenser and Huso species) for aquaculture.

As risk management measures have not been established for live sturgeon, we conducted this assessment as a Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Learn more about how and why the department conducts a Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis and our international obligations.

About the final BIRA report

The sturgeon BIRA has undergone rigorous scientific review. This includes public consultation, independent review by technical experts on fish diseases, and review by the scientific advisory group (SAG).

The final BIRA report details:

  • diseases of biosecurity concern
  • risk assessments for the identified diseases
  • recommended risk management measures.

The final BIRA report identified disease agents that need specific risk management measures. These agents are:

  • Aeromonas salmonicida salmonicida (typical strain)
  • Argulus alosae, Argulus coregoni, Argulus flavescens, Argulus foliaceus and Argulus stizostethii
  • cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (koi herpesvirus)
  • Ergasilus sieboldi
  • frog virus 3
  • infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus
  • Polypodium hydriforme
  • spring viraemia of carp virus
  • sturgeon alloherpesviruses
  • sturgeon nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses
  • viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus
  • Yersinia ruckeri (Hagerman strain only).

The final BIRA report recommends that live sturgeon can be imported into Australia, provided they comply with appropriate risk management measures. These measures include:

  • sourcing from disease-free stocks
  • sourcing from a premises under the supervision of the competent authority
  • sourcing from a premises that only cultures sturgeon
  • pre-export quarantine
  • parasite treatment
  • batch testing for disease agents
  • egg disinfection
  • post-arrival quarantine.

Download the final report

Final report for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (PDF 5.2 MB) 
Final report for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (DOCX 6.68 MB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Implementation of import conditions

Before an import permit application to import live sturgeon and their reproductive material for aquaculture purposes can be considered by us or the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), several activities need to be completed and the final import conditions published on our Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) webpage. Please refer to the implementation statement for these activities.

The below timeline is based on the activities outlined in the implementation statement.

Decorative

DAFF Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. 
DCCEEW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. 
BICON Biosecurity Import Conditions system. 
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 
S & T Australian states and territories.

Download the implementation statement

Sturgeon BIRA implementation statement (PDF 725 KB) 
Sturgeon BIRA implementation statement (DOCX 2.78 MB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Supporting documents

Download report from the SAG

SAG’s report of their findings on the provisional sturgeon BIRA (PDF 281 KB) 
SAG’s report of their findings on the provisional sturgeon BIRA (40 KB)

Download previous versions of the sturgeon BIRA

Provisional report for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (PDF 5.23 MB) 
Provisional report for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (DOCX 6.67 MB)

Draft report for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (PDF 3.15 MB)
Draft report for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (DOCX 5.80 MB)

Download the issues paper and notice of intention

Issues Paper for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (PDF 753KB)
Issues Paper for the import of live sturgeon for aquaculture (DOCX 739KB)

Notice of Intention to commence a Sturgeon BIRA (PDF 1.3MB)

Download submissions to the draft BIRA report and issues paper

Submissions that were not marked as confidential can be viewed on Have Your Say - Importing live sturgeon for aquaculture

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Contact us

For more information about this risk analysis email abra@aff.gov.au

Register as a stakeholder to receive notices about animal biosecurity policy and risk reviews.

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Page last updated: 20 May 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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