The Al Kuwait docked in Fremantle on May 22, and had been due to transport the sheep but has been stranded under quarantine after crew members tested positive for coronavirus.
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has confirmed its decision not to grant exporter Rural Export and Trading (WA) an exemption to its northern summer live export ban, which began on Monday.
In March, the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment announced the ban from June 1 to September 14, intended to prevent sheep overheating and dying on vessels as a result of the increased risk of heat stress.
“Following consideration of all relevant matters under the legislation, including animal welfare and trade implications, the department has taken the decision not to grant an exemption to the exporter,” the department said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The livestock that was to be exported in this consignment remain at registered premises and the department is satisfied there are no welfare concerns.”
Detailed reasons will be released later in the week, the statement said.
So far 21 members of the 48-person crew from the Al Kuwait have tested positive for coronavirus, making up the bulk of Western Australia’s tally of 29 active cases.
Two are in a non-critical condition in hospital and the rest are in hotel quarantine.
A skeleton crew of 10 remain on board the vessel, which cannot leave Fremantle before June 13.
The sheep are currently in a feedlot.
Seven port and quarantine workers who had contact with the ship have been swabbed for the virus but so far not tested positive.
The federal government’s northern summer ban on live exports to or through the Middle East was sparked by thousands of sheep dying from heat stress aboard the Awassi Express in 2017.
With AAP
