There is a need to:

1. Develop low value Australian seafood options in order to give the Australian seafood consumer the chance to purchase local seafood at accessible price points.

2. Evaluate the sensory characteristsics, product acceptability and perception of Australian Salmon from a consumer perspective. The attributes evaluated will include, but not be limited to, taste, texture, appearance, mouth feel portion size, etc. This information should relate to pricing and potential product forms that appeal to consumers. This will demonstrate if the species has the potential to be a sustainable, consumer commercial fishery. There is currently no consumer research information of this type available.

3. Show what attributes consumers value in seafood.

4. Understand the composition profiling, nutritional values and bio chemical factors that:

a) influence the spoiling of desirable characteristics;
b) influence the overall degradation of this particular species

This will fill gaps in the current research that is being undertaken.

The present application will build extensively on the previous nutrition research of Somerset and Bowerman by engaging health professionals in evidence-based and practical communication material which they can use to assist consumers in integrating seafood towards more healthy and sustainable dietary choices.

Dr Gabrielle O’Kane, a board member of the Dietitians Association of Australia, has also been conducting multi-disciplinary research focusing on the barriers and drivers of fish consumption in Australia. On the 18 May 2017, Dr O’Kane gave an oral presentation ‘Aligning sustainability and nutrition goals in Australian seafood consumption’ at the 34th National DAA conference in Hobart, reporting on the findings of the advice related to seafood consumption provided by APDs and PHNs to their clients. The findings showed that APDs and PHNs are uncertain as to where to find reliable evidence-based information on sustainable seafood stocks. The conference had over 600 delegates and there was keen interest in the Nutrition in Public Health, Community and the Environment stream of concurrent sessions, of which this presentation was a part. See the link http://daa2017.com.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/DAA-2017-Final-Program-as-of-24-April-2017.pdf. Dr Carolyn Stewardson was able to assist Dr O’Kane with sourcing clear, summarised information on the status of Australian wild fish stocks in advance of the conference, which was well-received by delegates. One of the key take home message of Dr O’Kane's presentation was to check the sites www.fish.gov.au and www.fishfiles.com.au.

There is a clear gap in the provision of evidence-based information on (i) performance of fisheries management/status of Australia’s fish stocks and (ii) the health benefits and recommendations around eating fish, to this sector. Dietary recommendations for fish intake presents a conflict between desired outcomes for environmental sustainability and health.

There are technicians in various locations within Australia who have a diverse range of skills and experience in the aquatic animal health area. These skills are valuable to all involved and perhaps they should be demonstrated/discussed and information exchanged in an informal but structured forum.
As the “aquatic” discipline does not involve as many people as the terrestrial laboratory field there is not as much exchange of information, techniques and outputs. Some staff feel that they are on their own and are even intimidated to ask or don’t know where to go or whom to ask for input or assistance. Although not all aquatic techniques are “unique” there are some aspects specific to aquatic technical skills and procedures. Providing the opportunity for aquatic animal health technical staff to interact, establish networks and exchange ideas and information would enhance Australian laboratories’ capabilities to provide high quality services to stakeholders.
This group would provide valuable technical knowledge, additional sources of information and mentoring to other laboratory technicians, students and staff at teaching institutes.
The funds are requested to assist technical staff to travel to the AAHS Cairns conference (July 2009) to particiapte in a technical forum and a workshop to be held in March 2010.

Overseas experience demonstrates how diseases reduce profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of aquatic animal industries (for references see ATTACHMENT 6). Despite a rapid and continuous expansion in aquaculture, Australia has not experienced significant disease emergencies in farmed aquatic animal populations. However, pilchard mortality events in 1995 and 1998 have provided warning signals and demonstrated the need to increase our capability to respond to – and preferably prevent – aquatic animal disease outbreaks.

Since 1992, the FRDC as the biggest research investor has contributed more than $11million to over fifty projects related to aquatic animal health. Due to project diversity and cross-linkages to several FRDC Programs and existing Subprograms, well-facilitated project management is a fundamental requirement to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in delivering and extending results and would be facilitated by a dedicated Subprogram with its leader and supporting infrastructure.

With the development of a strategic R&D plan for aquatic animal health as a highest priority task, the Subprogram would contribute to preventing duplication of research, increase cooperation amongst researchers and thus achieve one of AQUAPLAN’s key priority objectives. It would thus underpin stability in aquatic animal health research and provide a greater level of service to research output beneficiaries.

The FRDC Subprogram would not only manage traditional R&D projects, but also develop Program Activity Plans and deliver projects under an AFFA/FRDC Agreement ([…] for the delivery of Program Activities under the Building of a National Approach to Animal and Plant Health program). FRDC will be advised by FHMC’s AQUAPLAN Business Group (ABG), chaired by ASIC and NAC, fulfilling the role of the Subprogram steering committee. Thus, the national approach can be developed in tandem to the R&D strategy, and guaranteeing links among the two. Significant components of the AQUAPLAN Workplan could be achieved.