Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis (AVG) disease is caused by a herpesvirus (infection with abalone herpesvirus, AbHV) and was first detected in Victoria in December 2005. The last recorded instance of this disease in Victoria was in January 2010 at Cape Otway.

The disease was again confirmed in the Cape Nelson area on 2 May 2021. Since then, further detections have been made at several locations and has been confirmed in Victoria as far east as Cape Otway and as far west as the Discovery Bay Marine Park.

While the virus is active there is a need for the Victorian wild catch abalone fishers to urgently review past research, to inform a gap analysis and further research.

This review will support those involved in the outbreak and inform fellow members nationally with a summary of past research and a way forward with other research for up-to-date biosecurity protocols, surveillance, and diagnostic tools to aid rapid detection to future proof the industry. Relevant industry, government representatives and stakeholders will be kept informed and asked to comment and contribute issues and ideas for a cooperative structured way forward to build a common framework on which to establish a set of key actions and or priorities. At the end of a staged process a workshop will be organised to evaluate and reassess research needs, assess and implement research findings and if further gaps are identified develop a framework to action.