Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: development of management strategies for herpes-like virus infection of abalone
Understanding the ecological role of abalone in the reef ecosystem of Victoria
The Victorian Abalone Fishery Management Plan (VAFMP) includes indices of ecosystem health amongst its suite of trigger reference points for management of the fishery. However, such indices do not currently exist and the VAFMP lists the development of robust environmental sustainability indicators and interactions between abalone and other benthic competitors and predators as habitat and ecology research priorities.
In 2003/04 PIRVic completed a review of literature concerned with ecological interactions between abalone and other reef biota (Jenkins, 2004). There was a paucity of information describing ecological effects of abalone removals and no clear potential performance indicators could be identified from this review. Victoria’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Research and Development Strategy 2005-2010 includes the following needs in relation to Ecosystem Based Fishery Management; “Development of meaningful and practicable ecosystem indicators, reference points and performance measures for key species and fisheries”, and, “Determination of trophic relationships within key commercial and recreational fisheries”, and, “assessment of the ecological impacts of fishing, particularly as identified in management plans”.
This project is required to fully implement the VAFMP and will also assist in satisfying the criteria for fisheries sustainability assessment established by the Department of Environment and Heritage under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act). The present EPBC Act exemption expires in 2008. The proposed work will help fulfil the requirements under the management plan and also the EPBC Act.
Final report
Validation and extension of acoustic reef habitat mapping methodologies in the western abalone zone, Victoria
The Victorian abalone fishery is currently the subject of several research programs which address aspects of the spatial management of the fishery (eg. FRDC 1996/116 and FRDC 2002/083). The “Research Needs and Priorities for Fisheries in Victoria 2001/02-2005/06” also identifies the need for research programs and data to assist the spatial management of the industry. The recent closure of fishing areas following the declaration of new Victorian Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries has also highlighted the need for accurate spatial habitat information in the management of the fishery.
An original objective of the Victorian abalone management zones and quota system was to achieve a spread of fishing effort consistent with the spatial distribution of abalone, and this is now reflected by separate total allowable catch (TAC) allocations for each management zone. The current Victorian Abalone Management Plan (2002) identifies the preferred option for achieving an optimal spread of fishing effort at the local level in the future will be sub-zonal TAC setting. It is noted in the management plan that management at this more refined spatial scale will require information that enables a better understanding and modelling of the spatial aspects of the fishery. Understanding the spatial distribution of habitat will help determine the appropriate scale for management and assessment.
The success of future reef mapping programs will be dependent on application of effective mapping methodologies that are consistent with habitat classification techniques within the southern Australian region. Validating the TAFI mapping approach and enhancing the methodology in Victorian marine environments will provide an extension of this approach.
Final report
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: enhancement of the emergency disease management capability in Victoria - adapting the AQUAVETPLAN control centre management manual
As few major disease incidents have occurred in Australian aquaculture, State/Territory departments have relatively little experience in incident management for emergency aquatic animal diseases. No jurisdiction, to date, has conducted a large scale response to eradicate exotic disease in aquaculture and thus expertise in these areas is limited. In the absence of real-life emergency events, simulation exercises provide a practical alternative to expose staff to aspects of emergency management.
The development of the AQUAVETPLAN Control Centre Manual and a Victorian Control Centre Manual will establish new roles and responsibilities for NRE staff, however, implementation success will require extensive training and discussion. Simulation exercises will improve staff awareness and ownership, capacity and communication.
The need for these exercises can be summarised as follows:
1. Both Government and Industries have relatively little experience with real emergencies
2. In Victoria, there is a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and departments especially where fisheries are managed separately from terrestrial animal industries
3. The ability to develop effective State/Territory Control Centre Manuals will be enhanced by testing under simulated disease management conditions
4. Lack of experience with emergency management will invariably lead to a delayed response to a disease emergency, and that in turn may lead to a greater spread of disease, loss of Australia's disease free status and severe impacts on export industries.
All simulation exercises are initiated by requests from clients. NRE has requested the proposed exercise and actively supports the proposal. NRE proposed the simulation exercise as a priority to the ABG and the sub-committee of the FHMC who approved the proposal.
Final report
In the past 20 years, many fisheries and aquaculture industries around the world have suffered major production losses through the impact of disease epidemics. To date, Australia has avoided many of these epidemics and retains a favourable disease status, which facilitates international trade and the receipt of premium prices for Australian seafood exports.
Exercise Rainbow was designed to extend on the previous emergency disease simulation exercise conducted in Victoria during Exercise Tethys in November 2003 by providing training in emergency management to a wider group of Fisheries staff and Animal Health staff.
The aim of the exercise was to build capacity within the divisions of the VDPI to appropriately deal with aquatic animal emergency disease response procedures. The simulation was developed over the period from February 2004 to May 2004. Exercise Rainbow was successfully conducted on 5-6 May 2004 with approximately 20 Fisheries staff and 15 Animal Health staff participating.
Evaluation of the outcomes of the exercise and jurisdictional performance highlighted that there is a good general awareness of emergency disease management procedures within VDPI but there exists a number of potential opportunities for further improvement and or development of the existing systems. This was particularly true in adapting terrestrial animal disease management systems for use in disease incidents in aquaculture and fisheries.
This project resulted in a number of recommendations that aim to improve pre-existing frameworks and resources in order to develop more robust procedures for management of the response to an emergency disease incident.
Keywords: aquatic animal health; aquaculture; disease emergency preparedness; emergency disease response.