The response of Fisheries Minister, Craig Wallace, to the preliminary report from Veterinary Scientist Dr Matt Landos on the health of barramundi caught in Gladstone Harbour is unsatisfactory and misses the point according to the Queensland Greens.
Queensland Greens state spokesperson Libby Connors said that the most important point to arise from Dr Landos's report is his recommendation that people not consume the local barramundi.
"The Minister has responded with statistics from the Fisheries Queensland report on their December catch from the region," Libby Connors said this afternoon.
"This is highly misleading given that the Fisheries Queensland report released in January could only state that 54% of barramundi were healthy, ie 46% were still showing signs of disease.
"This level of disease has now been given preliminary confirmation by vet scientist Matt Landos who examined the internal organs of the fish.
"His advice is that even those barramundi without external lesions had them internally.
"Given the proportion of disease that he found he recommended that they not be consumed.
"So is the Minister saying that it is safe to eat Gladstone caught barramundi?
"There appears to be a huge difference between the independent veterinary scientist and the Minister but it is the Minister who has responsibility for Biosecurity Queensland and the safety of Queensland grown food.
"The Queensland public deserve some clarity instead of misleading statistics."
Contact: Libby Connors 0429 487 110
Relevant links including photos of fish from Dr Landos
Website of the community group, Gladstone Fishing Research Fund. Link to the Report by Dr Landos is on the home page: http://gladstonefishingresearchfund.org.au/
Photos:http://gladstonefishingresearchfund.org.au/#/gallery/4558193335
Minister's comments reported in today's Gladstone Observer: http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/story/2012/02/02/fisheries-minister-fish-health-improves-in-region/