Project number: 2008-041
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $463,365.00
Principal Investigator: Richard Whittington
Organisation: University of Sydney (USYD)
Project start/end date: 31 Mar 2009 - 29 Mar 2012
Contact:
FRDC

Need

This project relates directly to the FRDC VNN Research and Development Plan, to facilitate industry profitability, sustainability, growth and development. There is an overarching need to measure and then reduce the risk to fisheries and aquaculture sectors (including natural resources) associated with transfer of nodaviruses. The aquaculture industry is proactive and responsible (eg triple bottom line reporting) and wishes to manage risks based on sound science. Industry acknowledges a residual risk that cannot be controlled: virus prevalence in the wild and natural fish movements. However, there is an immediate need for industry to conduct business in the face of unknowns with respect to true disease status. While there is a need to ensure that infected, but apparently healthy, stock are not moved to areas that are considered free of the disease/disease agent, it is of fundamental importance for the sustainability of the barramundi aquaculture industry and developing species ventures such as Australian bass that stock are translocated. Current tests for determining disease status are considered inadequate, therefore biosecurity protocols in the short-term are required to address the risk of introduction of disease with water, broodstock and fomites. As new information becomes available through R&D, these protocols will be revised and improved as needed to improve biosecurity. In the meantime, protocols are needed to manage risks with incomplete information and without overburdening industry with uneconomic or unwarranted requirements. There is need for mitigation of impacts on translocation: hatchery to nursery to grow-out; hatchery to wild (eg stocking for recreational fishing); both intra-state and interstate translocations, access to overseas markets; sourcing broodstock from the wild. Financial impacts, environmental impacts and mulitsectorial impacts at level of commercial, recreational and regulatory sectors all need to be addressed.

Objectives

1. To develop and validate a real-time PCR method for the detection and identification of betanodaviruses
2. To develop and evaluate the applicability of serological tests for detection and identification of betanodaviruses
3. To transfer developed technology to Australian diagnostic laboratories
4. To provide a basis for development of a national proficiency testing scheme for the detection and identification of betanodaviruses
5. To provide recommendations for improved biosecurity protocols in relation to nodavirus infection and fish translocation

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-74210-301-3
Author: Richard Whittington

Related research

Industry
Industry
Industry