The Pacific oyster virus (Ostreid Herpesvirus-1, OsHV-1) is a pathogen that has been regularly detected in France since 1991. The virus has generally been associated with Pacific oyster larval mortality in hatcheries and in Pacific oyster spat mortality outbreaks.

The recent incursion of the highly pathogenic OHsV-1 micro variant into New Zealand and NSW waters, leading to 80-100% mortality in weeks, has raised the very real prospect of this deadly oyster virus spreading to other Pacific oyster growing states.

This virus, if spread unchecked in Australia, has the potential to destroy the Pacific oyster aquaculture industry, which is currently worth about $65million in farm gate sales in SA, Tas and NSW.

There is an urgent need to collate and disseminate information regarding the source, transmission, pathogenicity, control and mitigation of this virus and its effects on farmed Pacific oysters.

This project has been developed to provide a considered response to that need.