The threat of both endemic and exotic pathogens is now the biggest management issue the Australian prawn farming industry is facing. Although the industry has conducted biosecurity risk assessments in the past these have been either generic in regards to biosecurity pathways, or formed based on a poor understanding of what pathogens may actually be on-farm and an immediate threat (i.e largely from literature searches). Without a through knowledge of pathogens currently in the industry informed risk assessments that capture the real threats cannot be developed. Additionally, the industry has no baseline to know if emerging diseases have previously been on-farm and latent, or are newly introduced. Industry also is being impacted by unknown syndromes which are reducing hatchery seedstock production and/or growout production. There is concern within industry that there are factors / diseases impacting production and profitability that are not clearly defined, quantified or unknown. As these syndromes occur there is a need to identify what pathogens may be causing the issues so management practices can adapt to reduce their impacts.
Project number:
2018-094
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$136,145.46
Principal Investigator:
Dean Jerry
Organisation:
Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA)
Project start/end date:
27 Sep 2018
-
29 Jun 2020
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
1. Undertake on-farm biosecurity review
2. Identify and list the diversity of known pathogenic organisms present in Australian prawn hatcheries and farms
3. Investigate on farm emerging pathogens/biosecurity incidents
4. Produce industry-wide risk biosecurity situation report
ISBN:
978-1-922437-11
Authors:
Kelly Condon
Phoebe Arbon
Roger Huerlimann
Ellen Ariel & Dean Jerry
Final Report
•
2020-07-01
•
9.09 MB
2018-094-DLD.pdf
The objectives of the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) Improving Biosecurity in Northern Australia prawn farms (A.3.1718113) were to obtain an overview of the pathogens and the level of protection provided by the current biosecurity practices that occur in prawn farms in Australia. Effective farm biosecurity relies on knowledge of the prevalence and quantity of pathogens present in the production line to formulate management strategies that reduce the likelihood of introduction or impact of prioritised pathogens. This project completed scheduled sampling to investigate the percentage of positive detections and calculated quantity of pathogens that were previously known to occur (endemic) in Australian prawn farms from the hatchery; broodstock (n = 967) and post larval stages (n = 411); and grow out farm; pond prawns (n = 666). The study significantly increased the volume of pathogen data available to Australian prawn farmers to prepare risk assessment and biosecurity management plans to meet their General Biosecurity Obligations (GBOs) as is required un the QLD Biosecurity Act (2014)
