Failure to deal quickly and effectively with a food safety incident may result in costly trade disruption and threaten the commercial viability of seafood suppliers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and food service providers. The seafood emergency plan was developed through Seafood Services Australia to provide a proactive and simple step by step response and recovery guide, should an emergency occur.

SA has participated in the initial stages of the SSA national plan and is keen to ensure the framework is established in this state.

The Strategy published in 1998 is recognised as a very useful document but one that now needs to be reviewed and articulated better. Currently, the plan specifies 10 broad research priorities for each of the 8 industry sectors. These priorities need to be more concise and better focussed to provide clearer indicators for funding of appropriate research. Consideration needs to be given to incorporating a Marine Environment R&D Strategy that conforms to the present initiatives in SA which are supervised by the Marine Managers Forum.

The document also needs to be more "outcomes" focussed and to specify performance indicators for its effectiveness.

The Strategy Document structure needs to be improved to present useful and comprehensible information to a broad range of stakeholders.

The website at ensures the wider spread of information and the ability to broadcast immediately updated information and advice. Its usefulness will be enhanced by comprehensive consultation guided by a Steering Committee, with input from a professional consultant.