The project will review and synthesise available global data on the potential effects and implications that plastic is causing in seafood species in the context of the impacts they generate to fishing and aquaculture sectors. Concurrently, using published literature on sources of marine pollution, the abundance of plastic entering aquatic systems from seafood related sources will be quantified, with particular focus to the Australian context. Ultimately, this will give the fisheries sector, particularly in an Australian setting, the knowledge to evaluate where appropriate mitigation strategies are necessary and reduce the presence and impacts of microplastics in seafood.

This project aligns with FRDC R&D Plan Outcome 1: Growth and Enduring prosperity; In particular, it targets the priorities of:
- Improving the understanding of the cause and extent of impacts to aquatic systems and what is needed to improve them
- Promote a circular economy to remove waste from the processing system, keep products and materials in use and promote the repair of natural systems

Providing information on how marine pollution may affect the seafood industry and seafood species fished will guide the urgency of future research and allow management and mitigation strategies that support the seafood sector to be developed. Ultimately, quantifying the amount of plastic contributed by the seafood sector to marine plastics will allow us to advance with solutions and uncover where plastic alternatives are most needed.

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Significant losses of farmed barramundi have occurred in coastal marine aquaculture sites utilising marine water sources due to Cryptocaryon irritans infestations. The disease costs have had substantial impacts on commercial aquaculture operations. Cryptocaryon irritans has a direct life cycle with an adult in the skin or gills of the fish and asexual reproduction in the environment away from the fish. The life cycle of C. irritans is temperature and host dependant and treatment must be timed with critical phases of the life history to maximise efficacy. This project will establish this timing to provide guidelines for optimised treatment.

The existing treatments have substantial costs ($3K+/treatment) and a sub-optimal profile for environmental release with high toxicity and environmental persistence. This project will optimise doses of existing treatments, and identify and assess new treatments. Products identified as effective and safe will have optimised guidelines developed for delivery to ensure the best outcome for farms and the environment. Such improvements will support further expansion of the finfish aquaculture industry in Northern Australia.