Abalone ban a precaution, McEwen says

AUSTRALIA - The South Australian Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister says the decision to prohibit the movement of abalone from Victorian hatcheries into South Australia is merely a cautionary one.

Victoria has shut four abalone farms and a 10 kilometre stretch of coastline to abalone divers, after the discovery of the ganglioneuritis virus.

Rory McEwen met the Abalone Council of Australia yesterday as part of moves to formulate a national response.

He says in the meantime, the South Australian industry needs to be protected.

"There's no point in hypothesising about what may or may not happen," he said.

"Importantly, we've got to make sure that we're not exposing either the aquaculture industry or the wild stock to risk."

Source: Abc.net.au