In recent years, demand for high quality seafood world-wide has increased significantly and continues to increase. This demand cannot be met by wild capture fisheries and has led to expansion of the world's aquaculture industries. In Australia, aquaculture is also growing. In the past 5 years the value of Australian aquaculture has doubled to approximately $700 million (ABARE 2001) and is expected to increase to $2.5 billion by 2010 (ACIL Consulting 1999). As the industry expands and intensifies the risk of infectious disease outbreaks also increases and there is a need for an increased level of expertise nation-wide on aquatic animal diseases.
As the range of aquaculture species expands so, too, will the range of diseases. Disease diagnosis and control will become an even higher priority than in the past. There will be a requirement to maintain and improve disease diagnostic capability. Increased diagnostic services will be required in these specialised areas, and training of personnel in aquatic animal pathology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology and mycology will be essential.
Currently, research on, and diagnosis of, aquatic animal diseases is undertaken with some limitations by State laboratories, private veterinary laboratories, universities, research institutes, and CSIRO divisions including AAHL Fish Diseases Laboratory (AFDL) at CSIRO Livestock Industries. It is essential to build on these resources to become better prepared for the anticipated growth in industry.
Training courses for diagnosticians and fish health specialists will be required to maintain Australia's proficiency to detect and diagnose aquatic animal diseases, and maintain the confidence of our trading partners. Due to increased world trade and travel, the threat of exotic disease is increasing. This project is aimed at providing information and training to aquatic animal health specialists to assist in recognition of exotic disease, and management of disease emergencies.
References
1. ABARE 2001. Australian Fisheries Statistics 2000, Canberra, ACT.
2. ACIL Consulting 1999. Aquaculture beyond 2000. Facilitator’s Report, prepared by Denis Hussey, Senior Associate, ACIL Consulting on a workshop, Changing Direction, held 23-24 August 1999, Canberra.
Final report
The major outcomes of this project are:
(1) as a result of the Training Course, each State/Territory now has one or two specialists who have recently been updated on the exotic diseases of the aquaculture industries in Australia (i.e., diseases on the National List of Reportable Diseases of Aquatic Animals). Their improved knowledge and awareness, and their capacity to improve the knowledge and awareness of many of their colleagues, will encourage greater confidence in the ability of regional aquaculture health specialists to recognize, and manage, incursions of exotic diseases. This, in turn, will assist Australian aquaculture industries to maintain their enviable status with respect to freedom from the major aquatic animal diseases of the world
(2) there is now a well-organized resource available for future training of aquaculture health specialists in those diseases that are of prime importance to the aquaculture industries of Australia, i.e., the diseases on the National List of Reportable Diseases of Aquatic Animals.
A copy of the training course can be obtained from FRDC on request.
