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PROJECT NUMBER • 2002-600
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: facilitating the establishment of the Aquatic Animal Health Consultative Committee (AAHCC) as the primary industry-government interface for aquatic animal health issues in Australia

The development and implementation of AQUAPLAN, Australia’s National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health 1998-2003, was overseen by an interim joint industry/government committee, the Fish Health Management Committee (FHMC). In November 2001, a working group established to review FHMC...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
People

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: revision and expansion of the Australian Aquatic Animal Disease Identification Field Guide for publishing to CD ROM

Project number: 2003-642
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $19,961.00
Principal Investigator: Alistair Herfort
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 26 Feb 2003 - 30 Dec 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

A revision of the original Field Guide is necessary to update information in respect of recent changes to the National List as well as an increase in knowledge of diseases currently covered by original Field Guide. The revised Field Guide also needs to target a more technical audience than that of the original version and will be upgraded accordingly. Production of the Field Guide on CD ROM provides an excellent opportunity for wider and more efficient dissemination.

Objectives

1. To update information in the existing Australian Aquatic Animal Disease Identification Field Guide, with improved data and to expand on the technical aspects of disease aetiology, diagnostics and response options, while remaining relevant to the non-technical audience
2. To produce the revised Field Guide in a cost-effective and easily distributed format

Final report

ISBN: 0-9751859-6-9
Author: Alistair Herfort

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: conduct of a multi-jurisdiction simulation exercise focussed on health management in Australian aquaculture

Project number: 2003-669
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $92,196.00
Principal Investigator: Iain East
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 30 Aug 2003 - 31 Oct 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The current program of simulation exercises conducted under the auspices of the Federal Budget Initiative is designed to provide individual jurisdictions with training in the management of aquatic animal disease emergencies. However, within Australia, both marine and freshwater environments cross State/Territory boundaries. The need for inter-jurisdictional co-operation in successful disease control and eradication has not previously been addressed. A current FRDC project, 2002/660 is providing training focussed on the operation of the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases, however, the aims and objectives of the current proposal are to develop cooperation at a technical and operational level rather than the strategic level addressed by project 2002/660.
The current proposal follows on from a previous project (2002/655) that involved:
1. Recruitment of stakeholders to the proposed exercise,
2. The development of the exercise documentation and plans,
3. Obtaining financial support from stakeholders

All of these objectives have been met. The project outlined in the current proposal will allow for the conduct of the exercise as planned. This project submission has been requested by the FRDC Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram.

Objectives

1. To conduct, in cooperation with a range of government and non-government organisations, a simulation exercise that will effectively address issues of inter-jurisdictional communication and cooperation in response to an emergency disease incident.
2. To enhance the capabilities of the States/Territories that share the Murray/Darling Basin in the area of management of aquatic animal disease incidents.
3. To heighten the awareness of these jurisdictions to the potential for incursions of emergency diseases.

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Design and Organisation of a multi-state disease emergency simulation exercise

Project number: 2002-655
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $38,557.00
Principal Investigator: Iain East
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 30 Oct 2002 - 30 Jun 2006
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The current program of simulation exercises to be conducted under the auspices of the Federal Budget Initiative is designed to provide individual jurisdictions with training in the management of an aquatic animal disease emergency.
However, within Australia, both marine and freshwater environments cross State/Territory boundaries. The need for inter-jurisdictional co-operation in successful disease control and eradication has not previously been addressed. A current FRDC project, 2002/660 is providing training focussed on the operation of the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases, however, the aims and objectives of the current proposal are to develop cooperation at a technical and operational level rather than the strategic level addressed by project 2002/660.

This project is needed to allow the development of the exercise materials and ensure that the exercise is effectively and efficiently planned.

This project submission has been requested by the FRDC Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram.

Objectives

1. To develop in consultation with a range of government and no-government organisations, a simulation exercise that will effectively address issues of inter-jurisdictional communication and cooperation in response to an emergency disease incident.
2. To engage the States/Territories that share the Murray/Darling Basin in the planning exercise and in doing so, heighten the awareness of these jurisdictions to the potential for incursions of emergency disease.
3. To negotiate funding for the subsequent simulation exercise from a range of participating agencies.
Adoption
PROJECT NUMBER • 2002-640
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Aquatic Animal health Subprogram: production of AQUAVETPLAN disease strategy manual for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia

In the May 2000 Budget, the Federal Government announced its Building a National Approach to Animal and Plant Health program. This initiative seeks to maintain Australia’s status as a sought after supplier of high quality, ‘clean, green’ agricultural produce. Within this...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: development of a database for Australian laboratory diagnostic expertise for diseases of aquatic organisms

Project number: 2003-647
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $36,244.00
Principal Investigator: Iain East
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 12 Jul 2003 - 31 Dec 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

During emergency disease incidents, rapid diagnosis of the pathogen involved is critical to mounting an effective response. Because each laboratory does not have a complete range of diagnostic capability, often a specialist laboratory needs to be identified to assist in the diagnosis. Currently, there is no database of laboratories or their diagnostic abilities. Identification of alternative laboratories is done on an ad hoc basis, and often when the information is required rapidly, the best alternative laboratory is not identified.
In recent times, there have been actual examples of diagnosis being delayed by samples being sent to an inappropriate laboratory. This project will result in a readily accessible database with an up-to-the-minute listing of laboratories, their diagnostic capabilities and capacities, the range of techniques that they have available to diagnose each pathogen and their level of accreditation.
In Australia, each aquatic animal health laboratory has limited resources and it is not cost-effective to have all laboratories develop the full range of diagnostic capability. However,it is not desirable to send samples to overseas laboratories especially in the case of suspect exotic disease. The solution to this resource dilemma is to create a network of diagnostic laboratories within Australia. The first step in achieving this network is to conduct a stocktake of current capability and capacity and subsequently making the information gathered available to all laboratories.

Objectives

1. To develop a readily accessible and easy to use database that provides information on the location of diagnostic laboratories, their capability and capacity in the diagnosis of a range of pathogens and disease conditions.

Final report

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: enhancement of emergency disease management through the education and training of the CCEAD participants on the CCEAD process

Project number: 2002-660
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $49,541.84
Principal Investigator: Linda Walker
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 19 Oct 2002 - 20 Oct 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Many fisheries and aquaculture industries around the world have suffered major production losses due to the impact of disease epidemics. Few major disease incidents have occurred in Australian aquaculture, and as a result, the Commonwealth, State/Territory governments and aquaculture industries have relatively little experience in incident management for emergency aquatic animal diseases. Through AQUAPLAN – Australia’s National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health 1998-2003 we have developed strategies and mechanisms such as the Aquatic Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (Aquatic CCEAD) to provide advice on the management of disease emergencies in fisheries and aquaculture. Through the White Spot Virus incident in 2000-2001, however, it became apparent that the participants lacked the experience to effectively put into practice the CCEAD process.
The need for this education and training program can be summarized as follows:
1. Both government and industries have relatively little experience with real emergencies.
2. Industry and some government jurisdictions have little knowledge and understanding of the CCEAD process which is essential when dealing with an emergency.
3. In some jurisdictions there is a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of various individuals.
4. Industry has little experience on CCEAD and has not previously been a bona fide member of CCEAD.
5. Lack of experience of disease incidents has lead to a lack of understanding of the reasons for confidentiality and hence conformation to the confidentiality guidelines.
6. Lack of experience with the CCEAD process has lead to the misuse and abuse of the process for political mileage rather then disease incident management.

Objectives

1. To familiarize participants with, and increase their understanding of, the CCEAD Terms of Reference and Operating Guidelines.
2. To develop trust and build relationships within and between the government and industry representatives.
3. To promote appropriate and effective behaviour when Aquatic CCEAD is activated.
4. To educate participants in Aquatic CCEAD on the benefits of abiding by the confidentiality clause of CCEAD.
5. To improve Australia’s emergency management response through an effective Aquatic CCEAD process.
6. To develop a training course/workshop for CCEAD participants.

Final report

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: development of strategies for improved stock loss insurance and for development of a cost-sharing arrangement for emergency disease management in aquaculture

Project number: 2003-600
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $32,860.00
Principal Investigator: Iain East
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 30 Dec 2002 - 13 Aug 2004
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Since the advent of AQUAPLAN in 1998, despite the presence of a model in the terrestrial animal cost-shaing arrangement, the issue of a cost-sharing arrangement for funding of the response to an aquatic animal emergency disease incident has not been substantively progressed. Similarly the issue of obtaining compensation for compulsory slaughter through insurance cover has not been substantively progressed.
This project is needed to clearly define the steps required to progress these issues and develop a draft plan for consideration by stakeholders.

Objectives

1. The development of clear recommendations on how to resolve the current problems associated with the issues of compensation for compulsory slaughter and crop loss insurance.
2. The development of an implementation strategy for the establishment of a cost-sharing arrangement covering compensation for compulsory slaughter of animals in the aquaculture industries

Final report

ISBN: 0-9751859-1-8
Author: Iain East
Final Report • 2004-03-25 • 773.83 KB
2003-600-DLD.pdf

Summary

Successful completion of this project has lead to establishment of a clear pathway for aquaculture industries to access compensation for government ordered slaughter of stock as part of the response to an emergency disease incident. The pilot study provides specific details of the costs and mechanisms involved for the salmonid industry to join Animal Health Australia, become a signatory to the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement and have diseases of salmonids added to this agreement.

The full benefits flowing to stakeholders will be realized if the various aquaculture industries decide to adopt the recommendations of this study and avail themselves of the existing arrangements for the provision of compensation for government ordered slaughter of stock.

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