Efforts to re-export livestock on board a ship that is currently stranded off Australia’s coast have been blocked by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
On January 20, the DAFF confirmed it had directed the exporter that the consignment, when it was initially travelling to the Middle East, be immediately returned to Australia due to “the worsening security situation” in the Red Sea.
There was an application submitted on January 26 for the re-export of livestock onboard the MV Bahijah to Israel via the Cape of Good Hope, that has not been approved by the DAFF.
The departmental regulator was unable to be satisfied that:
- The requirements of the Export Control Act 2020 in relation to the export of livestock have been complied with, or will be complied with before the livestock are imported into the importing country;
- The importing country requirements relating to the livestock have been met, or will be met before the livestock are imported into the importing country;
- The arrangements for the transport of the livestock to their final overseas destination are appropriate to ensure their health and welfare.
In a statement from the DAFF today (Monday, February 5), they confirmed “the livestock on the vessel continue to be in good health and they remain under veterinary care and supervision.
“There is no suspicion of exotic pests or diseases within the livestock.”
The department said the next steps for the livestock on board the vessel “are commercial decisions for the exporter to make.
“A range of options remain available to the exporter, and the department stands ready to assess any future application submitted by the exporter,” the statement added.
Livestock unloaded
On Friday, February 2 the DAFF stated “several hundred head of healthy cattle” were successfully unloaded from the MV Bahijah at the request of the exporter.
Department officials were present to ensure all biosecurity protocols were met and they confirmed the cattle appeared “healthy and well”.
The cattle have been moved to appropriate premises where they are quarantining and the DAFF added there were “no animal welfare issues associated with this unloading”.
Adam Fennessy, secretary of the DAFF said the unloaded cattle “are being held under strict biosecurity controls at appropriate premises”.
In a statement today, the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) said the MV Bahijah “departed Fremantle, bound for Eilat, Israel, with a mixed consignment of approximately 15,000 sheep and 2,500 cattle.
“This consignment was approved by the DAFF and was undertaken by Bassam Dabbah, an exporter that is not a member of the ALEC.
“Given the extraordinary circumstances of this situation, any moves to use this issue to attempt to further the government’s proposed ban on live sheep exports would be cheap, callous, and cynical,” the statement read.