Australia's largest barramundi farm is calling for a halt to importing whole barramundi from Asia over biosecurity concerns.

Key points: Recent research identified four exotic diseases present in Asian fish farms which are a risk to Australia's wild barramundi

Recent research identified four exotic diseases present in Asian fish farms which are a risk to Australia's wild barramundi The non-eaten parts of imported whole fish are likely to end up in crab pots or other bait, much like white spot entered the prawn industry

The non-eaten parts of imported whole fish are likely to end up in crab pots or other bait, much like white spot entered the prawn industry Fisheries' peak body calls for a halt, or temporary halt, to imports until new research concluded

Around 60 per cent of barramundi eaten in Australia is imported from Asia, most of which comes in the form of fillets.

But a small portion is sold as whole fish.

The importation of whole barramundi has the owners of Humpty Doo Barramundi, 75 kilometres east of Darwin, very worried.

The Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) published research in 2017 which identified four exotic diseases present in Asian fish farms which were a risk to Australia's catch.

Humpty Doo Barramundi's Bob Richards said he had serious concerns that those diseases could enter Australia through imported whole barramundi, with the potential to devastate both wild and farmed barramundi populations.

"Not only are [imported whole] fish likely to have disease, but the spare parts are likely to end up in crab pots and therefore get circulated into the natural environment," Mr Richards said.

"My concern is that [diseased] imported product could infect the wild [barramundi] population and it would spread around the coast, and it would potentially impact on farms.

"[If these diseases got] into the farm, we would not be able to sell fish, it would basically send us broke.

Biosecurity incursions are one of the biggest risks to Humpty Doo Barramundi. ( ABC Rural: Daniel Fitzgerald )

'Halt whole barramundi imports'

The ABFA has commissioned further research to establish if the diseases identified in the 2017 study are able to be transferred from dead imported fish to live Australian fish.

Mr Richards has called for a halt, or temporary halt, to importing whole fish until the new research has concluded and a review of biosecurity protocols conduced.

"That will not affect the availability of inexpensive barramundi to the public. What it would do is protect Australia's barramundi," he said.

"On environmental grounds alone, the precautionary principle alone would say you don't endanger your native species.

"The [risk of the] loss of a high-order predator from the whole of northern Australia that is so widespread through fresh and brackish water is so irresponsible."

Australian barramundi fingerlings are often sent to Vietnam to grow out before coming back to Australia as adult fish. ( Supplied )

In a statement to ABC Rural, a spokesperson for the Federal Department of Agriculture said strict conditions were in place for barramundi and all imported seafood to manage the risk of pests and diseases arriving in Australia.

"Imported whole barramundi require a valid import permit and health certificate issued by the exporting country's government attesting to a range of conditions," a spokesperson said.

"For whole farmed barramundi, the exporting country must, among other things, declare it has in place health surveillance and monitoring for the aquaculture facility exporting whole farmed barramundi to Australia, and that the fish were not derived from a population slaughtered as an official disease control measure. "To date, the department does not consider that there is evidence to suggest that the import conditions for whole barramundi do not effectively manage the risk of pests and diseases of concern arriving in Australia. "The department will consider actions to mitigate biosecurity risks should evidence come to light that those risks exceed Australia's Appropriate Level of Protection."

Biosecurity loopholes exist

The NT Seafood Council (NTSC) has stopped short of backing a halt to importing whole barramundi from Asia but is concerned about potential biosecurity risks to the wild barramundi population.

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CEO Katherine Winchester said she had no doubt there were loopholes in Australia's biosecurity protocols but they needed to be better understood.

"When it comes to biosecurity breaches it's a matter of 'when' it will happen, rather than 'if' it will happen," she said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 51 minutes 49 seconds 51 m The quarantine failures putting the Australian economy at risk

"If there are risks, then we need to work with Government to make sure steps are taken such as banning certain products if it is shown there are risks there.

"At this stage, we are not calling for an immediate ban, but we are working with industry and Government to get a better understanding of exactly what we need to do."

The NTSC has organised a meeting with key stakeholders from the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in late August to discuss the risk of imported, raw seafood being used as bait.

"The use of uncooked, imported seafood products, or products not meant to be used as fishing bait, poses significant risk to the environment through the potential introduction of diseases or viruses," Ms Winchester said.

"The impacts of white spot disease [in prawns] and its detection in Queensland in late 2016 are still being felt across the seafood industry.

"We need to ensure a coordinated approach is taken to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases here in the Northern Territory."