Project number: 2002-647
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $39,600.00
Principal Investigator: Chris Baldock
Organisation: AusVet Animal Health Services Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 2 Aug 2002 - 25 Jun 2004
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Few major disease incidents have occurred in Australian aquaculture and fisheries, and as a result, State/Territory departments and industries have relatively little experience in incident management for emergency diseases.

The recent white spot virus incident and subsequent survey has highlighted the need to have strategies in place to enable a swift and effective response to a suspect emergency disease incursion to rapidly contain an infectious disease agent.

Effective responses to emergency disease outbreaks require emergency disease planning at national, state/territory, district and industry/farm level and the involvement of animal health and fisheries authorities, emergency management organisations and the private sector. For the terrestrial animal sector, the basis for this planning is contained in the Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan, AUSVETPLAN, which is a series of technical response plans that describe the proposed Australian approach to an emergency disease incursion. The documents provide guidance based on sound analysis, linking policy, strategies, implementation, coordination and emergency-management plans.

Based on AUSVETPLAN model, the AQUAVETPLAN is currently being developed as a series of manuals and operational instruments which outline methods and protocols to manage emergency disease outbreaks in aquatic animals in Australia. Some manuals have been published (AQUAVETPLAN Enterprise Manuals; AQUAVETPLAN Furunculosis Disease Strategy; Australian Aquatic Animal Disease Field Identification Guide), and others are at various stages of endorsement (AQUAVETPLAN Control Centre Manual; AQUAVETPLAN Disposal and Destruction Manuals). Following a detailed process of government and industry consultation, the development of a Disease Strategy Manual for White Spot Disease has recently been identified as a key need to improve Australia’s preparedness in the event of emergency disease incursions.

Objectives

1. The objective of this work is to complete a Disease Strategy Manual for White Spot in accordance with the terms of reference provided by the FRDC Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram. The structure and content of the manual will be of similar structure and degree of detail to that of the Furunculosis Manual developed previously.

Final report

ISBN: 0-646-43360-1
Author: Chris Baldock

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