This project has arisen because of the Hepatitis A outbreak possibly associated with oysters at Wallis Lakes, 1997. Food safety issues are regarded by sea food industry as a major threat. While the majority of industry can see the benefit of implementing food safety plans others are still to be convinced. The hepatitis outbreak offers a unique opportunity to determine the cost both socially and economically of a major disease outbreak, its impact on consumers, and the economic benefit of effective food safety plans. The need for the project is:

1. to quantify the economic cost to the industry as a result of reduced market acceptance for oysters products;
2. to determine the extent that the outbreak impacted on other seafood products both from Wallis lakes and other sources;
3. the development of this economic analysis will allow the industry to assess the risk associated with addressing food safety issues;
4. to provide the basis for ABARE’s presentation to Outlook 98, which can be further extended to industry as a case study; and,
5. additionally, the project will act as a vehicle as part of FRDC's sponsorship of the fisheries outlook session of the 98 Outlook conference .

The proposal addresses a number of specific needs, as expressed in the FRDC research and development plan:

- Effects of fishing activities on fish and their ecosystems (Program 1, Strategy 3) - information on the spatial distribution and intensity of catch of species and effort is fundamental to assessing the effects of fishing on the environment. It is also very useful in assessment of individual stocks.
- Access to fisheries resources (Program 1, Strategy 8) - the distribution and value of fishing, as well as the potential social and economic impacts, is a vital consideration in multiple use planning (eg. Marine Protected Area planning).
- Fisheries and ecosystems management (Program 1, Strategy 10) - the proposal would make a significant contribution to ecosystem based and multiple use planning under the Regional Marine Planning process.
- Economic and social values of the industry and its impacts (Program 2, Strategy 2) - the proposal specifically aims to investigate socio-economic aspects of fisheries and connect these to marine resources. This will also assist in fulfilling ESD requirements.
- Community education (Program 3, Strategy 4) - the two major outputs (paper and web) will be widely available and comprise a valuable information resource for all Australians.

A tight schedule has been set for the development of Regional Marine Plans across Australia. Planning will require detailed information on the nature and extent of marine fishing activities. Nowhere has this information been drawn together to provide a body of data for use in regional marine planning. To ensure that the interests of the fishing industry are appropriately represented in the planning process it is important that accurate information is presented in a form that will be useful.

Similarly, the socio-economic nature of coastal communities and their degree of dependence on marine fisheries resources is poorly understood. The proposed research will provide a basis for identifying the social impacts of proposed changes to fisheries management arrangement and developing strategies for appropriate government interventions to reduce adverse impacts.

Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade provides a source of information for a range of purposes. The information can be used to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government. The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore important due to their forming the basis for research levies for each fishery.

At the international level, the Department of Agriculture through Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) contributes to a number of international databases. These include databases managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Information at the international level can assist in international negotiations on issues such as transboundary fisheries and analysis of trade opportunities.