They have it in one of their "fact sheets" that even if processed in Australia in accordance with the regulations for import / export, they cannot be eaten in Qld...They must be imported from overseas.

Carp is a little different. I don't think tilapia were introduced as food. Where as carp were.

Carp is the most eaten fish in the world. In the early to mid 1800's carp was farmed in northern Victoria. 200 years ago they didn't know about how the Murray floods. The water for the farm came from the Murray River. It flooded and they lost the farms.

People from all over Australia flocked to Vic to get the carp and take them home. Until recently almost all councils even had instruction sheets on how to grow carp.

Interestingly, that is the reason they give for banning eating of tilapia...They say if people can eat them, then they will collect them. People will take them home and grow them in dams and creeks.

That is totally flawed and makes no sense. If people were going to put them in dams, they will regardless of the law. Plus it would take away the whole adventure of going fishing for them.

Redfin for example (English perch). A pest fish and excellent eating. No one is taking them home to put in dams. In fact it is a specilised target. Easy to catch. But if you want there are custom made rods and reels specifically for redfin. People spends $1,000's on lures and gear just to target redfin.

Tell people they can eat tilapia and the same thing will happen...People will target them and a whole little industry will be born.

Some good points.

If people knew how basa is farmed and packed. They would never eat it.

Basa is a catfish.

Generally, within the food industry (restaurants, cafes etc) it is considered "not safe to eat". You will not find it on any menu. The risk of legal liability is to high.

Yet it can be found in every supermarket. It meets all the import standards and regulations.

The farming methods and standards used to farm basa, would simply be illegal in Australia.

Any fish (any food for that matter) farmed / produced in Australia is done so at much higher standards than any country that basa comes from. One of the big producers (country) of basa uses human waste raw sewerage to grow vegetables !!!

I can understand restricting whole fresh fish. But if tilapia is produced and packed in Australia to import standards. Then there is no reason it can not be sold and eaten everywhere.

I agree with all you said. However, just a short story.. last week.my wife and I recently took a nice drive for me to explore potential fishing spots along the Gold Coast, and ended having lunch at one of our stops, so we ordered take out fish n chips at a beautiful location in Coolangatta that had waterfront seating, just beautiful. She ordered basa and I had orange ruffy. Yes I did question the legitimacy of the menu and prices (both cost about AUD20) same quantity and both tasted nice. Although my alleged Ruffy tasted better, more like coral trout... 🤔