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Industry
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Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1986-110
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Preparation of a set of guidelines on the procedures necessary to carry out baseline studies at any Australian coastal site

The discharge of ballast water from one port into another is not a recent phenomena, although its importance as a dispersal mechanism for marine species has only been fully realized in the last decade with increasing volumes of ballast water being discharged and more studies being carried out on the...
ORGANISATION:
Australian Museum
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1995-162
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Prawn farm effluent: origin, composition and treatment

Prawn farming is an expanding, high-value primary industry in coastal areas of Australia. Currently there are approximately 500 ha of farm ponds. The majority of prawn farms are in Queensland, but there are also farms in NSW, NT and WA with plans for expansion of the industry in all these states....
ORGANISATION:
Cooperative Research Centre for Aquaculture
SPECIES

Cumulative Impact Risk Assessment Tool for Aquaculture in Australia

Project number: 2018-145
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $172,999.00
Principal Investigator: Belinda Yaxley
Organisation: Nautilus Collaboration Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 1 May 2019 - 30 May 2021
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Difficulties with current legislation in Australia at State and Federal level make it challenging for marine farms to protect themselves, but equally for the community to have faith that aquaculture development is not harming the marine environment. An example from Tasmania is the recent contamination of Macquarie Harbour, whereby tailings from Copper Mines Tasmania (CMT) dam in Queenstown entered the harbour and undoubtedly caused environmental harm to salmon and other species. Because CMT and salmon farmers operate under different Acts CMT was not responsible for the incident but rather the government. Consequently, no investigation or clean-up ensued.

Additionally, the scope of statutory tools, such as EIS under the Tasmanian Marine Farm Planning Act 1995, is not regional and does not consider the compound interactions of and on production activities. A good example is the recent Storm Bay salmon farming expansion; while the EPBC listed handfish species in Tasmania were listed in the marine farming development plan, with a brief context, management of these species was not considered in the EIS because that process only includes direct impact of the lease position. Arguably, cumulative impacts from all development in the area will have varying impacts on the species, impacts which are not being considered under current government legislation, but are potentially the source of public ire.

For aquaculture to pursue sustainable efforts environmentally, economically and socially in the increasingly crowded near shore space requires proactive planning and transparency that is not currently possible given existing assessment tools. In particular, assessment of cumulative impacts must be addressed. Cumulative impact assessments (CIA) are gaining momentum across multiple industries due to a recognised need to apply them in the pursuit of sustainable management. CIAs are being undertaken with the protection of marines resources at front of mind, but so far there has been little consideration of aquaculture. An approach to CIA that makes aquaculture the centre point is required if we are to consider its impacts or conversely, its effectiveness.

Objectives

1. Identify the risks of multiple actions or impacts on the environment and social values of a marine production matrix in Australian waters. In order to do this a comprehensive literature review is required to develop the CIA approach and ensure the methods and gaps in aquaculture CIA are addressed to meet the needs of Australian aquaculture, the community and the consumer.
2. Develop a risk assessment tool that can be utilised by the public realm (governments at all levels, NFPS, community) to better understand the complexities of regional marine waters and user impacts to maximise current and future economic, social and environmental benefits. To do this requires identification of valued environmental and social components first, whereby such components are characterised, from this a framework is build on each valued component.
3. Assess aquaculture in the context of broader social and environmental issues within the marine production matrix, by performing an aquaculture specific cumulative impacts assessment for regional Australia
Industry

Immuno-staining of a ciliate protozoan causing significant mortalilty of farmed tuna: the development of a rapid identification technique which will enable improved farm management practices to be implemented to minimise fish mortality

Project number: 1995-083
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $60,860.00
Principal Investigator: Barry Munday
Organisation: SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
Project start/end date: 25 Oct 1995 - 29 Jun 2001
Contact:
FRDC

Objectives

1. To develop the use of immuno-staining as a rapid disgnostic test which can be used on site (Port Lincoln) to accurately identify the ciliate protozoan of concern
2. Using the diagnostic test developed, screen potential sources of infection associated with farming tuna ( seawater and sediment around cages, organic matter fouling nets, feeds and feed preparation methodologies etc)
3. Disseminate research and resultant recommendations on improved farm management strategies to tuna farmers so as to minimise mortality of farmed fish
4. To maximise the benefits obtained by tuna farming industry from the presently funded position, Research Officer - fish health ( National Training COmpany Scheme and TBOAA), based in Port Lincoln and the partnerships that have been established to facilitate research on industry priority topics

Final report

ISBN: 0-642-32054-3
Author: Barry Munday
Final Report • 2000-01-01 • 2.17 MB
1995-083-DLD.pdf

Summary

An immunofluorescent staining technique for the rapid detection of the ciliate protozoan Uronema sp. was developed during 1995 and 1996. The initial test was developed using seven cultures of Uronema sp. from various sources which were identified as Uronema nigricans  by microscopical and histochemical techniques. These seven strains were maintained in a medium containing bacteria as their food source. Antisera against two of the strains were raised in rabbits and against one in sheep. These were then adsorbed with the bacteria and unrelated ciliates to eliminate cross-reactivity.

More recently, an axenic (bacteria-free) culture of Uronema sp. has been accomplished and high-titre antisera raised in rabbits for use in the immunofluorescent staining technique.

Arrangements have been made to have a monoclonal antibody to the axenic Uronema prepared at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island in Canada. This will then provide a reliable supply of highly specific antibody for future research in this area.

The substantial southern bluefin tuna mortality event in 1996 impacted on the delivery of the project objectives, particularly those associated with the application of the immuno-staining technique developed to:

  • screen potential sources of infection associated with farming tuna; and based on this
  • provide advice to farmers on how to improve farm management techniques so as to minimise infections.

Keywords: Uronema, aquaculture, southern bluefin tuna.

Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1996-285
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Identification of environmental factors, with particular reference to acid sulfate soil runoff, causing production losses in Sydney rock oysters

The study has confirmed that estuarine acidification, associated with drainage of acid sulfate soils, reduces growth rates and survival in Sydney rock oysters leading to significant production losses. The work has also demonstrated that acidification is not a factor in outbreaks of QX disease. The...
ORGANISATION:
UNSW Sydney
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