227 results

People development program: 2011 Aquatic Animal Health Training Scheme - Introductory training in epidemiology and disease outbreak investigation

Project number: 2009-315.20
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $14,205.02
Principal Investigator: Evan Sergeant
Organisation: AusVet Animal Health Services Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2011 - 4 Jan 2012
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Australia periodically experiences outbreaks of new or unusual diseases in both farmed and wild species. Recent examples include oyster herpes virus in New South Wales and Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis in Victoria and Tasmania. Proper epidemiological investigation early in such outbreaks can assist greatly in identifying source and risk-factors for infection and can often provide clues for future control. Such an investigation goes beyond the identification and characterisation of the causal agent and is an essential part of the response to any disease outbreak or incursion.

However, specific training in epidemiology and the principles of epidemiological investigation has not been routinely provided to aquatic animal health professionals in the past. This project aims to address this situation by providing introductory training in epidemiological principles and disease outbreak investigation for up to 25 aquatic animal health professionals, and provide resources for future training activities.

This project aligns closely with the Biosecurity and Aquatic Animal Health theme of the FRDC RD&E plan, directly through developing the necessary skills to prevent and manage disease incursions and indirectly through improved knowledge and understanding of biosecurity measures required to mitigate and control disease in cultured and wild aquatic populations.

Objectives

1. Develop resources for training in introductory epidemiology and outbreak investigation for aquatic animal health professionals
2. Undertake training in introductory epidemiology and outbreak investigation for up to 25 aquatic animal health professionals
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2014-040
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Oysters Australia IPA: Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) – closing knowledge gaps to continue farming C. gigas in Australia

The present project is part of a continued program of epidemiologic investigations of OsHV-1 in Australia. Sufficient understanding of POMS is required to provide information for farmers and to direct policy so that profitable farming can continue despite increasing distribution and devastating...
ORGANISATION:
University of Sydney (USYD)

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: surveys of ornamental fish for pathogens of quarantine significance

Project number: 2009-044
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $453,137.00
Principal Investigator: Joy Becker
Organisation: University of Sydney (USYD)
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2009 - 29 Mar 2013
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In project FRDC2007/007 and previous studies it was determined that ornamental fish entering Australia may carry pathogens of quarantine concern, specifically gourami iridovirus (GIV) and cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV2). Ornamental fish are imported under a policy based on a formal Import Risk Assessment (IRA). On the 11/09/08 Biosecurity Australia announced the formal commencement of an Import Risk Analysis (IRA) under the regulated IRA process to review Australia’s freshwater ornamental finfish policy with respect to quarantine risks associated with gourami iridovirus (GIV). Australia has imported a large number of gouramis for many decades. The 1999 IRA considered several species of gouramis and concluded that specific risk management measures were required for these species due to biosecurity risk posed by iridoviruses, including GIV. Australia’s quarantine measures include that gouramis are held in an export premises for a minimum 14 day period prior to export, health certification stating that they are sourced from populations with no known significant clinical disease in the last six months, and that the fish are held in post-arrival quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. These are key features which need to be reviewed. Additional scientific data would enhance the review.

A second impact is that the developing Australian ornamental fish aquaculture industry may be at risk due to introduced pathogens. This is of particular relevance for goldfish, where domestic breeders claim that their stock succumb to diseases such as CyHV2 disease when brought into contact with imported goldfish in wholesale and retail premises. This disease agent was also specifically addressed in the 1999 IRA.

There is need to determine whether GIV and CyHV2 are in fact entering Australia despite quarantine practices, and further, to determine whether either virus is already established in farmed or wild ornamental fish in Australia.

Objectives

1. To determine whether GIV is entering Australia despite quarantine practices
2. To determine whether CyHV2 is entering Australia despite quarantine practices
3. To determine whether GIV is already established in farmed gourami in Australia
4. To determine whether CyHV2 is already established in farmed goldfish in Australia
5. To determine whether GIV is already established in wild gourami in Australia
6. To determine whether CyHV2 is already established in wild goldfish in Australia
7. To determine whether domestic goldfish free of CyHV2 succumb to disease when cohabitated with imported goldfish carrying CyHV2
8. To extend the findings of this study to the ornamental fish sector in Australia and provide information for use by DAFF

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-74210-314-3
Author: Joy Becker

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: development of a national translocation policy using abalone and prawns as templates for other aquatic species

Project number: 2004-080
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $24,391.00
Principal Investigator: Brian Jones
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date: 30 May 2004 - 15 Jan 2007
Contact:
FRDC

Need

To maximize gains from the breeding programs they need to cross best performing stock. Where the stock is located in different States, there is a need to move the animals across state borders - preferably as animal or seed, but the ability to move gametes or larvae would be viewed as significant progress towards achieving the objectives of the program. The project leaders are also requesting that the business of selling genetically enhanced stock not be restricted to customers within state borders as this limit would make the program economically unviable.

This need for national translocation policies is becoming urgent with the steady but unpublicized increase in the number of aquatic animal hatcheries across Australia. To make the hatcheries viable, sales across jurisdictions in some industries are essential in some industries. Considering all aquatic animal species, not just abalone, Western Australia alone has in excess of seventeen aquaculture production hatcheries (as at August 2003) and this pattern is similar in other jurisdictions.

Objectives

1. To develop a single consistent translocation policy document for live temperate abalone, involving Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, which is based on scientific risk assessment principles
recognizes that the disease status of wild abalone populations is still unclear
may recognize different zones of “risk” and is consistent with Australia’s international obligations.
2. To develop a single consistent translocation policy document for live prawns, involving Queensland, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Western Australia, which is based on scientific risk assessment principles
recognizes that the disease status of wild prawn populations is still unclear
may recognize different zones of “risk” and is consistent with Australia’s international obligations.
3. To indicate how these policies can be a template for other translocation issues.

Final report

ISBN: 1-877098-95-7
Author: Brian Jones
Final Report • 2008-07-11 • 1.06 MB
2004-080-DLD.pdf

Summary

The use of scientifically based hazard identification, risk analysis and risk management is fundamental to managing unwanted effects.  Hazards, such as quarantine incursions, will continue to occur despite the use of risk assessment methodologies but the frequency and severity of their occurrence will be reduced.

This was recognised by the Ministerial Council on Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture in 1999 when they published the “National policy for the translocation of live aquatic organisms”. 

This FRDC project provides a simple risk assessment methodology based on the Australian Standard for Risk Management (AS/NZS 4360: 2004) and one that is consistent with the Ministerial Council policies.  It was trialled in a workshop situation involving stakeholders to derive scores for likelihood and consequences associated with identified hazards.  From these scores a risk rating can be obtained that will indicate whether risk management measures need be applied.  At the workshop a number of management measures were suggested for reducing risks associated with abalone and prawn translocations and these are documented. However, the application of management measures is an issue for individual jurisdictions who assess the risk in terms of their own acceptable level of risk and then adopt appropriate management measures.  For example, the risks associated with translocation of trout in Tasmania have far greater consequences to that state than the same risks would in Western Australia.

Overall, and for both abalone and prawns, the known risks associated with translocation of selected lines of juvenile stock bred in high health hatcheries and of known disease status, to onshore grow out facilities should prove to be manageable in terms of risk. Examples of translocation management measures adopted in Western Australia and Queensland are provided as appendices.  Translocation of animals of known disease status into open water or semi-open water culture situations is more problematic and is likely to be influenced by genetic issues as well as disease issues. 

The risk assessment methodology used is readily adaptable to other species and to risks associated with the environment or genetic issues, though, with the exception of fouling organisms on abalone, these were not specifically addressed during the workshop. 

Domestic trade is governed by the Commonwealth Government’s Mutual Recognition Act 1992 and complementary legislation.  This ensures that consistency with World Trade Organisation and sanitary and phytosanitary principles extends to trade between States and Territories. It is probable that States and Territories will adopt differing entry requirements due to differing assessments of risk based on individual assessments of likelihood and consequence, and variations between acceptable levels of risk between jurisdictions. However, the measures adopted and the reasons for their adoption must be documented and they must be science based. 

Keywords: Abalone, aquaculture, prawns, shrimp, translocation, risk assessment.

Adoption
PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-415
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Management of Australian Abalone Growers Association's RD&E portfolio

This report describes the outcomes from a five-year Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) between Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the Australian Abalone Gowers Association (AAGA). The project was led by AAGA Executive Officer, Nicholas Savva with assistance from members of...
ORGANISATION:
Australian Abalone Growers Association Inc (AAGA)
Blank
PROJECT NUMBER • 2009-753
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

SCRC: SCRC RTG 3.3: Zooplankton research tour and fish hatchery/farm visits in Taiwan (Dr Bennan Chen)"

Dr Chen undertook a research tour in Taiwan, as previously organised, to investigate the copepod pond production system used for marine larval finfish rearing. This involved capturing information about the system and getting some hands-on experience. The system could possibly be adopted, with...
ORGANISATION:
SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-190
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Assessment of gamma irradiation as a feasible method for treating prawns to inactivate White Spot Syndrome Virus

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was detected in diseased farmed prawns by Biosecurity Queensland’s Biological Sciences Laboratory and confirmed by the CSIRO Australian Centre for Diagnostic Preparedness (ACDP) Fish...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries (QLD)
SPECIES
People
People
View Filter

Organisation