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In FRDC 2007/007 and FRDC 2009/044, it was determined that ornamental fish entering Australia are a source of exotic pathogens, such as cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV2). This is of particular relevance for goldfish, where domestic breeders claim that their stock succumb to CyHV2 disease when brought into contact with imported goldfish in wholesale and retail premises. CyHV2 only affects goldfish and was addressed in the 1999 IRA as being exotic to Australia. Recent research findings from FRDC 2009/044 indicated that CyHV2 is present in domestic Australian goldfish populations. On 1 September 2011, Biosecurity Australia amended the health certification requirements for the importation of goldfish and no longer requires fish to be certified free of CyHV2.

The detection of CyHV2 and other exotic aquatic pathogens (e.g. gourami iridovirus) was achieved through the application of molecular techniques, such as PCR. Correctly applied and interpreted, molecular approaches offer unique opportunities to understand the local and global spread of a disease. The advancement of molecular approaches is required to safeguard Australia against pathogen incursions through the processes of informed policy development and import risk analysis.

There is a need to disseminate the research that determined that CyHV2 is now established in Australia and how scientific evidence was used to change national biosecurity policy to the international scientific community. There is also a need to ensure the availability of people with specialised training in molecular epidemiology in Australia to stay at the forefront of the application of this technology.

Objectives

1. To present findings from the project titled FRDC 2009/044 "Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Surveys of ornamental fish for pathogens of quarantine significance” at the 13th conference of the International Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics (ISVEE 13) to be held from 20 - 24 August 2012 in the city of Maastricht, The Netherlands.

2. To complete a three day pre-conference workshop titled “Molecular Epidemiology - applications, tools and case studies”.

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Strategic approaches to identifying pathogens of quarantine concern associated with the importation of ornamental fish

Project number: 2014-001

Project Status:

Completed

Budget expenditure: $249,836.00

Principal Investigator: Joy Becker

Organisation: University of Sydney (USYD)

Project start/end date: 15 Jun 2014 - 30 Oct 2016

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Need

Nearly 18 million ornamental fish are imported annually under a policy based on an Import Risk Analysis published in 1999. Despite the biosecurity measures in place since 2000, there have been several incidents of exotic pathogens from ornamental fish affecting wild and farmed fish populations. These include atypical Aeromonas salmonicida, cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV2) and dwarf gourami iridovirues (DGIV). There is a need to acquire new knowledge to support policy reform as the ornamental fish industry advances and new pathogens emerge.
Project FRDC 2009/044: AAH: surveys of ornamental fish for pathogens of quarantine significance determined that ornamental fish with subclinical infections of exotic viruses were passing through quarantine undetected. This project provided scientific evidence that led Biosecurity Australia to relax the import conditions for goldfish as CyHV2 is now considered endemic. Also, DGIV was detected in all consignments of imported gouramis at an average prevalence of 19%. DGIV was detected in domestic fish populations at wholesale and retail premises and at one ornamental aquaculture facility. The project outcomes indicated that pre-export biosecurity measures (and associated health certification provided by exporting country authorities) and post-arrival quarantining of fish in Australia were insufficient to detect and prevent fish with subclinical infections of exotic pathogens from entering Australia.

There is little information available on other viral, bacterial and parasitic disease agents carried by imported ornamental fish. Specifically, there is a paucity of information available on parasites of imported fish and their potential risk to Australian industries and ecosystems. There is a need to determine whether pathogens of biosecurity significance associated with ornamental fish are entering Australia despite the import conditions.