According to the information Mark McMilan, a commercial fisherman has caught 660 kgs of barramundi and brought it to Gladstone Fish Market but the entire catch was rejected because of red-spot disease. At the fish market, Simon Whittingham was left with no choice but to reject the entire catch, since the fish had red-spot disease. There were also a handful of sharks and other species, which were also rejected because of a strange discoloured rash.
Whittingham who was upset with the catch said that the catch would have been worth about $4,000 for the commercial fisherman. He called Safe Food Production Queensland (SFPQ), which sent an officer to inspect the catch. As per the information released by the SFPQ officer Whittingham had made the correct decision in rejecting the fish, and he needed to dispose of them either by incineration or burying them.
A spokesperson for SFPQ confirmed that Whittingham’s story was consistent with that of the SFPQ officer who inspected the catch. A Fisheries Queensland spokesperson said the department’s studies still indicate the disease is in decline. The Fisheries Queensland spokesperson said the incident showed food safety procedures were working effectively. SFPQ said all seafood that is supplied for human consumption must meet national standards for suitability and food safety.
