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Aquafin CRC - SBT Aquaculture Subprogram: a risk assessment of factors influencing the health of farmed southern bluefin

Project number: 2001-253
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $87,038.00
Principal Investigator: Barbara Nowak
Organisation: University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Project start/end date: 30 Jan 2002 - 30 Jun 2003
:

Need

While the economically valuable tuna aquaculture industry has not been affected by major disease outbreaks to date, further development and possible intensification of not only tuna aquaculture, but aquaculture in general in the tuna farming regions, will increase the risk of fish health problems in the future. Significant disease related mortality are best prevented by recognising and managing risks before they become a major issue.

At present there is a wide range of information from TBOASA SBT heath surveys and the provision of a diagnostic service to industry, however, this information has not previously been used to identify and reduce risks. Published scientific literature also contains reports on SBT fish health issues, as well as other finfish health risks relevant to SBT aquaculture and there is a clear need to review all the information available.

The economic value of this project is difficult to quantify, but the extensive tuna mortalities in April-May 1996 due to the effects of a storm, highlight the potential impact and cost of a serious disease outbreak. In 1996, 70% of the tuna held by the industry died within a few weeks, this equating to a 1999/2000 market value of $141 million. Such a loss would result in serious economic and job loss to a major regional area of South Australia, with flow on effects elsewhere.

Objectives

1. To provide a qualitative fish health risk assessment for the tuna aquaculture industry in Australia.
2. To review tuna health information from the industry (including their database), research organisations and scientific literature.
3. To identify areas of highest risk and propose management control measures for the industry, as well as research priorities.
4. To disseminate the results of this SBT health risk assessment project.

Final report

ISBN: 1 86295 099 7
Author: Barbara Nowak
Final Report • 2003-07-24 • 3.42 MB
2001-253-DLD.pdf

Summary

The rapidly developing international tuna aquaculture industry started with a joint Japan/ Australia experiment in 1991. Since then it has grown into the largest finfish aquaculture in Australia with an export value of $290 million. It is based on the capture of wild fish and subsequent fattening of these fish in pontoons over a period of 3-6 months. Continuous husbandry improvements ensure very low mortality. This project was developed to review all available information on SBT health, assess current and potential risks in this area and provide the basis for future research and development in the area of SBT health.

ASBTIA: Maintaining SBT High Health Status - understanding SBT parasites and investigating ways to mitigate their influence on SBT production

Project number: 2008-228
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $2,201,771.00
Principal Investigator: Barbara Nowak
Organisation: University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Project start/end date: 30 Nov 2008 - 29 Apr 2012
:

Need

The southern Bluefin tuna industry in Australia is limited by catch quota. Increased competitiveness through production efficiency is the main way to improve the value of the industry. Improved performance can be achieved by maintaining a high health status which consequently minimises stress, reduces mortalities and optimises production. Since 2002 there has been a significant fall in revenue (prices down over 50% and strengthening of the Australian dollar). The worsening financial parameters, combined with the intrinsic high ‘value’ of each fish, have placed a greater focus on all aspects of the industry and particularly stress impacts limiting production. Mortality is an obvious area and the current, increased level is not acceptable. Possibly more important, parasites may cause economic costs to the tuna industry in lost growth and condition. There is a potential for increased productivity through the reduction of parasite loads. This can be only achieved through better understanding of the current dynamics of parasitic infections and the cost of parasitic infections to the SBT production.

Objectives

1. To understand impacts which affect the high health status of SBT
2. To develop strategies that underpins high health status of SBT
3. To provide assistance in the implementation of research outcomes to maintain the high health status of SBT
Environment
Environment

Aquafin CRC - SBT Aquaculture Subprogram: tuna cell line development and their application to tuna aquaculture health surveillance

Project number: 2001-200
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $304,989.00
Principal Investigator: Mark S. Crane
Organisation: CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory
Project start/end date: 30 Jan 2002 - 1 Dec 2005
:

Need

The use of fish cell lines, both as a research tool and a diagnostic tool, has played a major role in the development of salmonid and cyprinid aquaculture worldwide. The commercial success of these finfish aquaculture industries is due, in part, to the development of fish cell lines which are used to monitor farmed fish populations for the presence of specific viral pathogens. Based on the results of such health surveillance programs disease-free stocks can be kept isolated from infected stock through restrictions in fish movements. The current lack of continuous tuna cell lines suitable for the isolation and growth of viral pathogens of tuna could be a serious obstacle to effective disease control in tuna hatcheries and nurseries which, in turn, could have a significant negative impact on the future development of the tuna aquaculture sector. It is noteworthy that viral infections of a tuna species (Thunnus thynnus) have been documented (1). Moreover, other viral pathogens such as marine nodaviruses (2) and birnaviruses (3) tend to be catholic in their host range and should be considered a significant risk.

Development of diagnostic tools for identification of viral pathogens in other systems has been reliant on the availability of continuous cell lines for virus cultivation. Isolation and growth of viral pathogens in susceptible cell lines provide an almost limitless supply of partially purified virus for the development of improved diagnostic procedures for these pathogens (4). In order to be able to develop similar systems to service the farmed tuna sector, there is a need for continuous tuna cell lines.

The aim of this project is to develop continuous tuna cell lines to improve our capacity to isolate and characterise tuna viruses, and to enhance our response to new pathogens that may threaten farm production. Identification of disease-free broodstock, eggs and fry is essential for the further development of the tuna aquaculture sector.

REFERENCES

1. Matsuoka S, Inouye K & Nakajima K. 1996. Cultured fish species affected by red sea bream iridoviral disease from 1991 to 1995. Fish Pathol. 31: 233-234.

2. Nishizawa T, Furuhashi M, Nagai T, Nakai T & Muroga K. 1997. Genomic classification of fish nodaviruses by molecular phylogenetic analysis of the coat protein gene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63: 1633-1636.

3. Reno PW. 1999. Infectious pancreatic necrosis and associated aquatic birnaviruses. In: Fish Diseases and Disorders vol. 3 Viral, Bacterial and Fungal Infections (Woo PTK & Bruno DW, eds.) CABI Publishing, New York, NY, Pp. 1-55.

4. Crane MStJ & Bernoth, E-M. 1996. Molecular Biology and Fish Disease Diagnosis: Current Status and Future Trends. Recent Advances in Microbiology 4: 41-82.

Objectives

1. Establish primary cell cultures from southern bluefin tuna (SBT) and/or yellowfin tuna (YFT) tissues, larvae or fry.
2. Select sub-populations of cell cultures which display continuous cell division.
3. Clone cells which display features of immortal cell lines.
4. Characterise the major features of the tuna cell lines important for their application as a diagnostic tool.
5. Determine susceptibility of cell lines to viral pathogens of marine finfish.

Final report

Development of diagnostic and surveillance techniques to promote modern Southern Bluefin Tuna health management

Project number: 2018-170
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $491,793.00
Principal Investigator: Nathan Bott
Organisation: RMIT University Melbourne City Campus
Project start/end date: 2 Jun 2019 - 27 Feb 2022
:

Need

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Objectives

Commercial in confidence
Industry
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-241
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Understanding blood flukes infecting Southern Bluefin Tuna

Cardicola forsteri is the dominant blood fluke species detected in farmed Southern Bluefin Tuna in 2018. Our results have shown that traditional methods (heart flush and gill microscopy) were limited to detecting adults or eggs. Comparisons of currently used diagnostic methods showed that...
ORGANISATION:
RMIT University Melbourne City Campus
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