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The Examiner, Launceston, Wednesday, 20 October 1999

Tassie defies salmon policies

STRIKING OUT: Tasmania's chief veterinary officer Rod Andrewartha has declared Tasmania a protected area under the Animal Health Act. The declaration means that salmon imports from diseased areas can be rejected. [Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.]

By Heather Long

The State Government will usurp the authority of the Federal Government by imposing its own disease permit system on salmon imports.

It is prepared to go to the High Court to defend its right to do so.

The State's chief veterinary officer Rod Andrewartha yesterday applied his authority to declare Tasmania a protected area under the Animal Health Act.

The move is not an outright ban on salmon imports, but means that as of yesterday, anyone importing salmon products into the State will need a permit.

Primary Industries, Water and Environment Minister David Llewellyn said Tasmania's actions could stop all salmon from being imported to the State if necessary.

"And unless we are sure through the permit arrangement that the disease status of fish is appropriate, it won't come in,'' Mr Llewellyn said.

The Government's actions come after it was announced in Canberra on Monday night that transtasman salmon imports would be allowed into Australia from midnight that night.

The first consignment of New Zealand fish is expected to arrive this morning for distribution to markets in Victoria and NSW.

Mr Llewellyn said that Mr Andrewartha had based his decision on the knowledge that whirling disease, which attacks salmonids, already existed in New Zealand but not in Tasmania.

``If the product comes from an area such as New Zealand it will not be given a permit while we undertake the appropriate import risk assessment that we need to assess the situation appropriate for Tasmania,'' Mr Llewellyn said.

He said the initial prohibition of imports without a permit would be in place for 60 days but could and would be continued until the issue was addressed.

Mr Llewellyn said Tasmania would take the issue to the High Court if necessary.

Federal Fisheries Minister Warren Truss described the Tasmanian Government's actions as, "political grandstanding''.

"The Tasmanian Government's claim that salmon imports may be infected with whirling disease is flawed. Whirling disease is found in some parts of the South Island, but only in trout, and New Zealand law prohibits trout being commercially harvested or exported,'' Mr Truss said.

Tasmanian politicians and aquaculture groups yesterday called on the Australian public to boycott NZ salmon imports.

Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association executive officer Tony Smithies said the association was appalled that the Federal Government had agreed to allow the New Zealand imports while the Senate inquiry into the issue was still in progress.

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