Integrated approach to improving stock assessment of Black Jewfish
NCCP: defining best practice for viral susceptibility testing of non-target species to Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 -a discussion paper based on systematic quantitative literature reviews
Aquatic Animal Health and Biosecurity Subprogram: Strategic planning, project management and adoption
AAHBS provides a cohesive national approach to FRDC-supported aquatic animal health R&D in Australia by providing leadership, direction and focus for health R&D and other related non-R&D activities. AAHS was renewed in 2012 based on national need, previous performance and strong stakeholder support. Key strengths include its strategic focus and the establishment of a network of aquatic animal health experts and research providers. An external review of AAHS was undertaken in 2015 and it found that the consensus among the major stakeholders was that AAHS provides an essential service for the major stakeholders. Thus, continuation of AAHS beyond 2016 on the basis of a shared financial commitment by stakeholders from industry and governments is highly desirable.
Australia’s aquatic animal sector is free from many diseases that occur overseas, providing us with a competitive advantage in both production and trade. While the number of aquatic animal species and the absolute number of aquatic animals being farmed in Australia is increasing annually, new diseases caused by emerging infectious agents (e.g. new yellow head virus genotypes, oyster oedema disease, ostreid herpesvirus, Bonamia exitiosa) continue to threaten the sustainability of significant enterprises, and the call on health services to support this expanding industry is growing.
In addition to aquaculture, aquatic animal health R&D is required for the other aquatic animal sectors, including wild-capture (c.f. Edwardsiella ictaluri in catfish), recreational (c.f. Perkinsus in oysters) and ornamental (c.f. gourami iridovirus), that share the aquatic environment. Thus health services need to be coordinated across all aquatic sectors to ensure synergy while avoiding duplication. FRDC, through AAHBS, plays a major role in addressing research needs and training in aquatic animal health. With its incumbent expertise and experience, AAHBS is able to direct these activities in the most pressing areas.
Report
In the period 2016-20, AAHBS has managed 27 projects concerned with aquatic animal health and biosecurity. AAHBS also provided advice on other aquatic animal health- and biosecurity-related projects that were part of other FRDC programs. In addition, AAHBS has a specific role in managing the DAWE/FRDC Aquatic Animal Health Training Scheme. AAHBS also provided comment, as requested, on health-related projects submitted to industry peak bodies.
AAHBS reviewed, in-house, the Subprogram R&D Plan on an annual basis which included consultation with major stakeholders (industry and governments). The revisions accounted for the changing aquatic animal health and biosecurity R&D needs at the enterprise, industry sector, and state and national levels.
During the period 2016-2020, there were seven issues of the Subprogram newsletter, Health Highlights, which has a broad distribution list (>300 subscribers) that includes industry associations, research providers and regulators both domestically and internationally. In addition, AAHBS provided support for the 2017 White Spot Disease R&D Needs Workshop and 2017 Pinctada maxima Pearl Oyster Health Workshop. Two FRDC Australasian Scientific Conferences on Aquatic Animal Health and Biosecurity were convened in Cairns (in 2017 and 2019). The Cairns conference provides a unique opportunity for regulators, researchers and industry to meet and discuss the latest research results and current issues relating to aquatic animal health and biosecurity. Workshop and conference proceedings were distributed electronically to participants.
Project products
Our Pledge: Australian seafood industry response to community values and expectations
Despite considerable investment in RD&E to understand why the Australian seafood industry has been experiencing diminished levels of socio-political and community acceptability, there is still uncertainty regarding the significant values of different segments of the Australian community for coastal and marine systems, their management and industry (Essence Communications 2015). Further, there is evidence these values and associated expectations are highly changeable and can have significant individual, business and national repercussions. While the seafood industry already operates from a strong values-based position of its own - ‘sustainability’, there is evidence the community's concerns have expanded to include animal welfare, supply chain integrity, modern slavery for example.
Understanding community values and expectations is important but not enough. Industry must articulate and demonstrate its commitments to addressing kncommunity expectations. This is critical to breaking the reactive negative cycle that threatens resource access, mental health and viability of our industry. A means of monitoring and tracking industry's success in responding to the community's changing expectations and values must also be developed.
Seafood Industry Australia's (SIA) members have identified social licence. This project is a tangible commitment to a national conversation and action to address community values. It is an opportunity to build seafood industry unity on the basis of a set of shared values and supporting practices.
Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries (ACPF) has initiated a lot of this listening and values-related work relevant to wild catch prawns. ACPF is ready to design, implement and evaluate activities that embed these values as messages and convey the supporting or changing behaviours as proof. ACPF needs to ensure that its outputs reflect the direction of the Australia seafood industry and sees advantages in liaising with SIA as it produces outputs at sector level. In doing so, it will provide a test case for how other seafood industry sectors can undertake to acknowledge and respond to community values and expectations, and make a national set of shared industry-community values their own.
Report
Seafood Industry Australia commissioned Futureye to review existing research into the Australian communities attitudes toward seafood, as well as other market research, that has been undertaken since 2014. The findings from this review were used to make recommendations to Seafood Industry Australia about what to address in their pledge to demonstrate the industry’s intent to earn its ‘social licence to operate.’