The need for the research lies in the fact that no guideline values exist for pectenotoxins in shellfish. To produce these guidelines toxicological data need to be produced and currently there is a lack of knowledge of the PTX metabolism and mechanisms of toxicity. There is currently no oral toxicology data on the PTX2- seco acids and thus their inpact on human health cannot be assessed. There have been no published works of their metabolism in mammals or humans, and their chronic effects on health are unknown. The clinical symptoms are non-specific to DSP poisoning and it is believed that cases of bacterial poisoning and DSP are mis-diagnosed due to lack of toxicological information.
The presence of pectenotoxins can impose significant economic burden on the shellfish industry. Clear toxicological data on pectenotoxins will be used to undertake a risk assessment of pectenotoxins to enable the shellfish industry and regulators to make informed decisions about the withdrawal of product from sale or closure of farms in the presence of pectenotoxins in shellfish.
FRDC Rock Lobster Enhancement and Aquaculture Subprogram Project 98/305 investigated the environmental and system requirements for juvenile and adult rock lobster holding and grow-out. Results from this Project showed that adult southern rock lobster can be held long-term in industry facilities with high survival rates and that condition and weight can be improved. However, in order for a large-scale industry to develop in this area, there is a definite need for research aimed at reducing the incidence of tail fan damage in live-held adult southern rock lobster. Tail fan damage has also been identified by the Geraldton Fishermens Co-operative as a problem with live-held western rock lobster prior to live export.
An earlier project on liveholding of adult southern rock lobster, RLEAS 98/305, demonstrated that adult SRL could survive, feed, moult and grow when held in sea cages or raceways and fed an artificial diet developed in RLEAS 98/303. The major obstacle identified to such an industry was that lobsters live-held at ambient temperatures developed a tail fan disease involving melanization and loss of tissue. We have named this condition tail fan necrosis (TFN).
Lobsters with advanced TFN are not acceptable for live export market and this limits any live-holding industry. There was a need to characterize the TFN condition, to see if it was correlated with environmental factors such as holding conditions
(density and feeding patterns) and temperature. The microbial species involved in TFN needed to be identified and their role in TFN verified. Finally ways of limiting TFN needed to be proposed.
Research has found that fishers are subject to a multitude of stressors, including those relating to government policies and co-management challenges, a fluctuating market place, crew cohesion and on-shore social relationships, and the pressures of working in a dangerous workplace. Compounding the well-known physical dangers associated with the fishing industry, these factors all place pressure on fisher mental wellbeing, which in turn contributes to issues such as clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders, poor eating habits and substance abuse, eg, evidence from around the world suggests that the particular stresses of fishing contribute to higher than average rates of smoking among fishers.
Findings from the RIRDC-funded project Staying Healthy: Behaviours and services used by farmers and fishers indicate that while participants from certain farming industry areas have benefited from industry involvement in health and wellbeing, including in relation to mental health, fishers are less likely to report that industry associations have helped them access health and wellbeing information or programs. Some farmers described significant lifestyle changes after participating in programs that were promoted, sponsored or facilitated by trusted industry organisations. As well, recent research (Brooks, 2011, Health and Safety in the Australian Fishing Industry, RIRDC, Canberra) has found a lack of awareness of occupational health and safety among fishers. The Research Audit of Social Sciences Fisheries Research (Clarke, 2009) noted research findings that social wellbeing is related to financial wellbeing, and that social networking is negatively affected by working hours, suggesting a place for an industry specific approach to social connection and mental health. There appears to be a broking role for industry groups and organisations in enhancing the health of the fishing workforce. This project will identify strategies for industry and fishing community organisations to take on this role in effective, but cost and resource efficient, ways.
