Analysis and presentation of good news for the seafood industry in the Nutrient Reference Values (NRV) and in presentations to the ISSFAL conference and SSA Seafood for Life workshop - client manager
The outputs and products generated by this project will capitalise on a unique opportunity for the seafood industry to promote the health benefits of seafood presented by the recently-released NH&MRC Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) by researching and writing material on how seafood can meet the newly recommended NRVs for many vital nutrients (macro-nutrients, minerals and vitamins).
It will interpret in easily-understood language and format the NH&MRC NRVs and associated material, translating and explaining the NRV and related recommendations as they relate to seafood. This document will be available as text for distribution to industry-related organisations and individuals as appropriate for their information, and for use in promotional material, media releases and feature articles, and for making representations for due recognition of the importance of seafood in resource-allocation debates.
This report in conjunction with the reports and outputs emanating from the ISSFAL and SSA Seafood for Life conferences will give the seafood industry access to highly valuable and influential information to further promote the positive aspects of seafood.
SCRC: Seafood CRC Industry Bursary: Value chain analysis and point of sale opportunities for the Spencer Gulf King Prawn Fishery, Brussels Belgium
Final report
Chain partners have been working together to provide point of sale material at supermarket level, and to foster chain relationships to the retail sales level. The opportunity arose to seek further ideas from the retail chain at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels, Belgium.
Seven key interviews were held with representatives involved in the prawn industry in Europe. The companies represented were importers and distributors, re-processors or retailers.
The current value chain project in the Spencer Gulf Prawn fishery was shown to be highly innovative to the rest of the world according to the interviews. The "new ideas" that exist from the surveys conducted in Europe suggested:
Strengthening the relationships in the supply chain through support in promotion to the end consumer
Provide a closer relationship between the supplier and the individual stores. This could in turn direct sales activities where most product is purchased and could focus on low consumption areas to increase consumption.
9th International Conference on Harmful Algal Blooms, 7-11 February 2000, Hobart
Starting in the mid 1980s, Australia has experienced an increased public
awareness of harmful algal blooms, especially their suspected involvement
in causing fish kills and feared public health risks following consumption
of contaminated seafood products and drinking water supplies. If not
adequately monitored and managed, the economic impacts on Australia's
developing aquaculture industry and on both domestic and export markets
could be devastating. An example of the first problem is the 1989 bloom
event by the golden-brown flagellate Heterosigma akashiwo in Big Glory
Bay, New Zealand, which killed NZ$ 12 million worth of cage-reared chinook
salmon. An example of the second problem is the 1993 New Zealand outbreak
of neurotoxic shellfish poisoning by the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium cf.
breve (NSP; 180 illnesses, no deaths) which led to export losses of NZ $
4.5 million in the first quarter of 1993 and a 25% decrease in domestic
shellfish demand . Similarly, positive test results are now available from
Australian shellfish products for paralytic shellfish poisons (NSW,
TAS,VIC,SA), diarrhetic shellfish poisons (TAS), amnesic shellfish poisons
(VIC) , neurotoxic shellfish poisons (VIC) and cyanobacterial peptide
toxins (WA). While algal biotoxins only in extreme cases lead to human
fatalities, it is the so-called "halo"-effect of bad publicity resulting
from a few human poisonings that can devastate aquaculture industries.
Compared to our neighbour New Zealand, which spends $3.2 M per year in
biotoxin monitoring efforts (most comes from the Ministry of Health, with
industry providing $750,000 per year via an industry levy), Australian
efforts in this area of quality assurance and environmental protection of
aquaculture operations are unsatisfactory.
Final report
The FRDC sponsored 9th International Conference on Harmful Algal Blooms held in Hobart, Tasmania, from 7-11 February 2000, was a resounding success. It was the largest conference on this topic (526 participants from 47 countries) ever held anywhere in the world. A total of 130 talks and 308 poster presentations were given. The conference broke important new ground by dedicating a special session to Algal Bloom Monitoring, Management & Mitigation. Special sessions were also dedicated to Impacts on Shellfish Aquaculture and Impacts on Finfish Aquaculture. Two FRDC representatives (Peter Lee and Alex Wells) attended, and as a special service to the Tasmanian finfish aquaculture industry US expert Dr Jack Rensel gave a keynote conference address, a special satellite seminar for fishfarmers and government staff, as well as met with 4 fish farming companies on site. US experts Prof. Sandra Shumway and Dr Monica Bricelj visited several shellfish aquaculture operations. A public forum on "Harmful Algal Blooms: Impacts on Health, Environment & Economy" was scheduled in association with the conference. The publication outputs from this meeting include a 518 pages Conference Proceedings Volume (to be published through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO) and a special issue of the international journal Phycologia (vol. 40(3)) both to appear in 2001.
Keywords: Harmful Algal Blooms; Shellfish Biotoxins; Aquaculture Finfish Kills