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MARK COLVIN: Don't come the raw prawn.

That's the Federal Government's message to seafood importers with today's decision to ban the import of raw prawns from countries which are not disease-free.

Australia's prawn farmers are happy, but importers are angry. Several countries are considering taking their protest to the World Trade Organisation.

Biosecurity Australia says its strict quarantine measures are aimed at keeping a number of diseases out of Australia's fisheries and farms.

But the effect is a total ban on raw prawn imports because none of Australia's current suppliers is disease-free and that's bound to push up the price.

Matt Brown reports.

MATT BROWN: The White Spot disease has had a devastating impact on prawn farming around the globe.

The CSIRO estimates its costs the industry as much as $30 billion. It's yet to be detected in Australian prawn farms, and the Federal Government says it's time to act to make sure it never is.

Federal Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz, says all raw prawn imports will be banned, from countries who are not disease-free.

ERIC ABETZ: This was not done to satisfy prawn farmers or prawn fisherman, nor was it designed to upset prawn importers. What it was designed to do was to keep disease out of Australia.

MATT BROWN: Despite the Minister's reasonings, it has annoyed Australia's suppliers.

George Kailis is the Vice President of Australian Seafood Importers Association. And he says the decision has not been well received, particularly in Asia, which supplies most of Australia's raw prawns.
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Source: ABC Online