Reducing bycatch using modifications to sweeps and lines anterior to the trawl mouth - collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark
Australian Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics 2016
Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade provides a source of information for a range of
purposes. The information can be used to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries
managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and
the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for
determining the research and development levies collected by government. The neutrality and integrity of
GVP estimates is therefore important due to their forming the basis for research levies for each fishery. At the
international level, the Department of Agriculture through Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics and Sciences (ABARES) contributes to a number of international databases. These include
databases managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD). Information at the international level can assist in international
negotiations on issues such as transboundary fisheries and analysis of trade opportunities.
Final report
Project products
NCCP: Review of Carp control via commercial exploitation
Valuing Victoria's Wild-catch fisheries and aquaculture industries
Assessment of Frozen Uncooked Imported Prawns for Antimicrobial-Resistant Micro-organisms of Aquaculture and Public Health Significance and residues of Ag-vet chemicals
The risk of importation of AMR into Australia via uncooked prawn commodities has not been assessed.
Given the existing pathway of dissemination of prawn commodities into waterways via disposal (berley)/use (bait) the release and establishment of AMR microbes could impact on prawn hatchery performance, where juvenile stages are particularly sensitive to bacterial diseases such as Vibriosis. Should AMR enter hatcheries via the use of wild broodstock, water or aerosol pathways it could contribute to great challenges in maintaining reliable hatchery production for the entire prawn farming sector, for it could render the currently available antimicrobials useless.
There is growing concern about the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in humans, and the pathways for its entry and establishment.
The trade of importing uncooked prawns for human consumption was temporarily suspended from early January to early July 2017 after the WSSV outbreaks on the Logan River in Queensland and import compliance breaches were identified. With this trade re-opening the pathway for potential entry of AMR on live bacteria warrants assessment.
A further pathway for generating enhanced risk of antimicrobial resistance is through allowing human consumption of commodities with sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotic and agricultural chemical residue.The Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) are seeking to better understand the presence or absence of a range of chemical residues in imported prawn products. Insufficient data has been collected as part of the National Residue Survey to give industry confidence that the imported products do not pose a potential health risk to consumers, and hence do not pose a risk to the marketing and sales of prawns generally. Data is needed to inform the submission from the APFA to the review of the Commonwealth Import Risk Assessment of uncooked crustacean and Australia's food safety regulator (FSANZ).
Report
1) Presence of bacteria that were of significance to aquaculture and public health (tested at the University of Adelaide)
2) Presence of resistance to a range of antimicrobials (tested at the University of Adelaide)
3) Presence of a suite of antimicrobials and other Ag-vet chemicals (tested at Queensland Government Chemical Residue Laboratory)
Project products
Seafood Directions 2017
The Australian Seafood Industry operates in a diverse and dynamic environment and although the volume produced in Australia is small by world standards, the value and quality of our product and sustainability of our practices are globally recognized. For the Seafood Industry to continue to be a world leader in seafood production and quality there must be an opportunity to learn from each other and plan for the future. The role of Seafood Directions is to provide a significant opportunity for fisheries researchers, fisheries managers and others who work in support of the industry, to examine key contemporary and strategic issues and develop blueprints that will ensure a sustainable, profitable and socially resilient seafood industry in Australia. The need for Seafood Directions is indicated by the ongoing support of key stakeholders of the seafood industry, as is evident by the level of industry sponsorship and attendance at the conference.
Final report
In May 2016, The Association Specialists were contracted to manage the biannual National Seafood Industry Conference, Seafood Directions, at the International Convention Centre Sydney.
The event included the following:
- The conference was held across three days (Wednesday 27 September – Friday 29 September 2017).
- The International Convention Centre Sydney was the main venue for the conference.
- The Novotel Darling Harbour and the IBIS Darling Harbour were the main sources of accommodation for the conference.
- The overall conference program consisted of plenary sessions, invited speakers, 2 concurrent sessions, twenty-six abstract presentations and various panel discussions.
- The conference featured two pre-conference activities including an overnight Huon Field Trip and an Economics Masterclass Pre-Conference Workshop.
- The conference also incorporated daily Sydney Fish Market, Behind the Scenes Tours, from Wednesday 27 September - Friday 29 September 2017.
- The Welcome Reception was held in the Exhibition area, in Parkside 1, on Wednesday, 27 September 2017.
- The National Seafood Industry Awards Dinner was held in the Grand Ballroom at the International Convention Centre Sydney on Thursday, 28 September 2017. The dinner attracted nearly 400 attendees.
- The “Power Up” Breakfast was held on Friday, 29 September and was organised by WINSC.
- The trade component was held in the exhibition space, where each catering break was held and fourteen exhibitors showcased their products and services.
- All plenary sessions and one breakout stream (i.e. all sessions in Parkside 2) were Live Streamed internationally to registered delegates.
- The event attracted a total of 355 registrations.
Fisheries Digital Data Framework: A workshop to share vision, evolve requirements for fisheries data
Testing retail commodities for the presence of Taura Syndrome Virus and Yellow head Virus I
The Australian prawn farming industry has been fortunate to remain free from many of the serious viral diseases which have decimated prawn farms internationally. It had been free from WSSV until it hit the Logan River farms in late 2016.
Pathways for movement of disease have been described through the movement of commodities destined for human consumption, such as uncooked prawns. Diversion of such commodities through use as bait or berley by anglers has the potential to generate a release pathway that could see these disease enter prawn farms via their intake of water, or through use of wild broodstock who may develop sub-clinical infections. Recent surveys have suggested that recreational angler use of supermarket origin uncooked prawns for bait has increased, even though such commodities are labelled that they are intended for human consumption only, and are specifically not to be used for bait.
Knowledge of the risks associated with uncooked prawn importations will assist the industry in contributing to the review of the Import Risk Assessment of uncooked crustacean which is currently underway. Data from this testing will also assist farmers in relation to making risk based decisions around major capital expenditure on farms to increase biosecurity and surveillance.