Following the discovery that a listed prawn disease is already in the country, Australian seafood importers are demanding that a quarantine ban on imported prawns be dropped.

Harry Peters, chairman, Seafood Importers Association highlighted that the IHHNV strain had already been found at two Queensland prawn facilities claiming, "….. it seems likely that it has been in Australia for a long time - since well before the government took draconian measures which were supposed to keep it out."

Peters was reported locally as going on to say “As a covert rescue plan, it (the ban) has been a complete failure. Not only have the import bans cost Australians hundreds of millions of dollars, this latest development has exposed a huge gap in Australia's internal biosecurity.

"Supplier countries are very upset by the unscientific approach taken by Australia on this issue.

"The new government correctly wants to stay out of biosecurity matters, but unless the Federal Minister steps in to sort out this mess, caused by the” the former Government.