There is little published information on the disease status of the prawns on the north-west shelf, yet these prawns (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, Metapenaeus endeavouri, Penaeus esculentus and Melicertus latisulcatus) form the basis of a commercial fishery worth in excess of A$42 million in 2001-2002. There are also stocks of P. monodon on the shelf which form an important source of broodstock for the developing aquaculture industry in Western Australia, and potentially also for the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Unfortunately, prawns are infected with a variety of viral diseases, many of which have been translocated to new areas with movements of the host prawn – mainly for aquaculture but in some cases through frozen product destined for human consumption.

There is a zoogeographic barrier at the Torres Strait so there is no reason to expect that the prawns in Queensland and New South Wales will have the same diseases as those in Western Australia.  This is particularly so since the northwest shelf has had little, if any, exposure to other areas through translocations.  This presents a unique opportunity to study the viruses and other diseases that may have co-evolved in the area with the prawns. This isolation is already under threat, with, for example, the movement for aquaculture purposes of Gill Associated Virus (GAV) infected post-larvae from Queensland into the Northern Territory.

Thus, there are two disease risks for which this project provides background data.  The first is the importation into Western Australia of prawns from other states and from the Northern Territory.  To assess adequately  the disease risk posed by the imports, we need to understand the local disease status and this has been achieved. The second risk is that diseases endemic in Western Australia may pose a risk to aquaculture establishments in other States.  This report provides a basis on which those states can assess the risk to their own industries.

There is little published information on the disease status of the prawns on the north-west shelf, yet these prawns (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, Metapenaeus endeavouri, Penaeus esculentus and Melicertus latisulcatus) form the basis of a commercial fishery worth in excess of A$42 million in 2001-2002. There are also stocks of P. monodon on the shelf which form an important source of broodstock for the developing aquaculture industry in Western Australia, and potentially also for the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Unfortunately, prawns are infected with a variety of viral diseases, many of which have been translocated to new areas with movements of the host prawn – mainly for aquaculture but in some cases through frozen product destined for human consumption.

There is a zoogeographic barrier at the Torres Strait so there is no reason to expect that the prawns in Queensland and New South Wales will have the same diseases as those in Western Australia.  This is particularly so since the northwest shelf has had little, if any, exposure to other areas through translocations.  This presents a unique opportunity to study the viruses and other diseases that may have co-evolved in the area with the prawns. This isolation is already under threat, with, for example, the movement for aquaculture purposes of Gill Associated Virus (GAV) infected post-larvae from Queensland into the Northern Territory.

Thus, there are two disease risks for which this project provides background data.  The first is the importation into Western Australia of prawns from other states and from the Northern Territory.  To assess adequately  the disease risk posed by the imports, we need to understand the local disease status and this has been achieved. The second risk is that diseases endemic in Western Australia may pose a risk to aquaculture establishments in other States.  This report provides a basis on which those states can assess the risk to their own industries.

There is little published information on the disease status of the prawns on the north-west shelf, yet these prawns (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, Metapenaeus endeavouri, Penaeus esculentus and Melicertus latisulcatus) form the basis of a commercial fishery worth in excess of A$42 million in 2001-2002. There are also stocks of P. monodon on the shelf which form an important source of broodstock for the developing aquaculture industry in Western Australia, and potentially also for the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Unfortunately, prawns are infected with a variety of viral diseases, many of which have been translocated to new areas with movements of the host prawn – mainly for aquaculture but in some cases through frozen product destined for human consumption.

There is a zoogeographic barrier at the Torres Strait so there is no reason to expect that the prawns in Queensland and New South Wales will have the same diseases as those in Western Australia.  This is particularly so since the northwest shelf has had little, if any, exposure to other areas through translocations.  This presents a unique opportunity to study the viruses and other diseases that may have co-evolved in the area with the prawns. This isolation is already under threat, with, for example, the movement for aquaculture purposes of Gill Associated Virus (GAV) infected post-larvae from Queensland into the Northern Territory.

Thus, there are two disease risks for which this project provides background data.  The first is the importation into Western Australia of prawns from other states and from the Northern Territory.  To assess adequately  the disease risk posed by the imports, we need to understand the local disease status and this has been achieved. The second risk is that diseases endemic in Western Australia may pose a risk to aquaculture establishments in other States.  This report provides a basis on which those states can assess the risk to their own industries.

There is little published information on the disease status of the prawns on the north-west shelf, yet these prawns (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, Metapenaeus endeavouri, Penaeus esculentus and Melicertus latisulcatus) form the basis of a commercial fishery worth in excess of A$42 million in 2001-2002. There are also stocks of P. monodon on the shelf which form an important source of broodstock for the developing aquaculture industry in Western Australia, and potentially also for the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Unfortunately, prawns are infected with a variety of viral diseases, many of which have been translocated to new areas with movements of the host prawn – mainly for aquaculture but in some cases through frozen product destined for human consumption.

There is a zoogeographic barrier at the Torres Strait so there is no reason to expect that the prawns in Queensland and New South Wales will have the same diseases as those in Western Australia.  This is particularly so since the northwest shelf has had little, if any, exposure to other areas through translocations.  This presents a unique opportunity to study the viruses and other diseases that may have co-evolved in the area with the prawns. This isolation is already under threat, with, for example, the movement for aquaculture purposes of Gill Associated Virus (GAV) infected post-larvae from Queensland into the Northern Territory.

Thus, there are two disease risks for which this project provides background data.  The first is the importation into Western Australia of prawns from other states and from the Northern Territory.  To assess adequately  the disease risk posed by the imports, we need to understand the local disease status and this has been achieved. The second risk is that diseases endemic in Western Australia may pose a risk to aquaculture establishments in other States.  This report provides a basis on which those states can assess the risk to their own industries.