The importation of green prawns into Australia will be suspended following an outbreak of white spot disease in Queensland, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced.

Key points: Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce is worried diseased prawns will be used as bait in Australian waterways

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce is worried diseased prawns will be used as bait in Australian waterways Concerns a number of prawn importers have not been following proper protocols

Concerns a number of prawn importers have not been following proper protocols Australian Prawn Farmers Association backs the ban on imports

Since November, there have been four farmers with white spot incursions, spread across five properties on the Logan River, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

It was the first time the disease, which kills prawns but is harmless to humans, was discovered in Australia.

Mr Joyce said about $50 million worth of green prawns were imported annually.

"Yesterday ... I was told that they are detecting white spot in imported green prawns that you buy in the shop for human consumption," Mr Joyce said.

"But that, for me, is a huge concern."

Mr Joyce said he was worried those prawns would be used as bait.

"It means they get into the waterways, it means it can infect prawn farms."

Mr Joyce said one prawn importer has already had their capacity to import revoked.

"Now we are also investigating another - a number of other prawn importers, because there is the suspicion that they have not followed the proper protocols, they have been outside the protocols, which is the law of the land on how you import prawns into this country," he said.

There will be no ban on cooked green prawns as cooking them kills the disease.

Australian Prawn Farmers Association's Nick Moore said he supported the ban.

"I do know it [the disease] comes from Asia and certainly the Americas and the importation of raw prawns into Australia was a vector that we've been highlighting from the Australian prawn association for many years," he said.

"While I absolutely applaud the Government's stance on it right now, it would have been nice a couple of years ago."

White spot can stop wild prawn growth and heavily impact prawn farm production. ( Supplied: Biosecurity Qld )

Ban was 'too premature'

But the Seafood Importers Association of Australia said there was "absolutely no" consultation with Mr Joyce before he announced the suspension.

"By our reckoning this is way too premature," the association's executive chairman, Norman Grant, said.

"The first I heard was when an ABC reporter contacted me half an hour ago."

Mr Grant said authorities still do not know how white spot reached Australia, and said it is too early to blame imported product.

"The source of the infection hasn't even been discovered and won't for some time and perhaps won't at all," he said.

"There are many pathways and as far as we are concerned commodity prawns are the least possible pathway."

The Federal Department of Agriculture confirmed 73 imported consignments had tested positive for white spot between May and December last year, although they were sent back or destroyed.

The Seafood Importers Association of Australia said consignments of imported raw frozen prawns already undergo strict testing for white spot, and must be peeled and have the head off before coming into Australia.

"Since 2007 there has been a total prohibition of uncooked whole prawns, because the science at that time said most of the infection was located on the head and shoulders of the prawns," Mr Grant said.