Factors Affecting The Toxicity Of The Dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus Toxicus, And The Development Of Ciguatera Outbreaks
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$22,600.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Define factors influencing ciguatoxin production by cultures of Gambierdiscus toxicus. 2. Examine reef disturbance effects & significance of genetic heterogeneity in G. toxicus in toxin production. 3. Establish requirements for growth & bloom formation by G. toxicus & other dinoflagellates
Objectives: 1. Study means to determine, simply, which fish are ciguatoxic. ; 2. Determine if ciguatoxin from Qld waters is identical to classical ciguatoxin; whether any geographical or temporal trends 3. precise pharmacological action of ciguatoxin to improve treatment of victims
Production Of Antibodies Against Toxins Involved In Ciguatera Fish Poisoning
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$87,050.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Develop method of detection of ciguatoxin (CTX) to extract & purify sufficient CTX to service requirements of program. 2. Develop an en enzyme imunassay for measuring anti-CTX production. 3. Develop method of schedule immunisation to allow production of monoclonal antibodies
Seafood CRC: Understanding And Reducing The Risk Of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins In Southern Rock Lobster
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$417,984.00
Summary
As noted in the background section, Paralytic Shellfish Toxins pose a significant economic risk to the rock lobster industry, the Tasmanian algal bloom in 2012/2013 resulted in losses to the seafood industry in the vicinity of $20million AUD and scientific data is critically needed to assist in minimising losses in future years.
Knowledge on the how rock lobsters accumulate PSTs (e.g. trophic pathway) is crucial to underpin future management strategies, including validating the use ....As noted in the background section, Paralytic Shellfish Toxins pose a significant economic risk to the rock lobster industry, the Tasmanian algal bloom in 2012/2013 resulted in losses to the seafood industry in the vicinity of $20million AUD and scientific data is critically needed to assist in minimising losses in future years.
Knowledge on the how rock lobsters accumulate PSTs (e.g. trophic pathway) is crucial to underpin future management strategies, including validating the use of species which may be more readily gathered to indicate risk (e.g. the use of farmed or wild caught mussels). Additionally, there is limited information on the elimination of PSTs from Jasus edwardsii. This data would assist industry in an event where large volumes of product have been harvested and are being held in live-containment facilities, particularly in Australia where animals can be held for several weeks in tanks. Information on persistence in the wild will also underpin decisions on potential re-direction of fishing effort to non contaminated areas.
Objectives: 1. To provide management options for industry to reduce the impacts of algal blooms. These options will potentially include: in-tank elimination conditions, testing of sentinel species to obtain early warning etc 2. To reduce technical barriers to trade for Australian rock lobsters in key markets through using the risk assessment output of the project to negotiate risk based standards. 3. To enhance R&D capability on marine biotoxins and market access in Australia. Read moreRead less
Studies On Toxic Dinoflagellates Responsible For Formation Of Ciguatoxin
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Determine how populations of ciguatoxin, Gambierdiscus toxicus, vary spatially & seasonally in coral reef areas 2. examine relationship between crown-of-thorns starfish and G. toxicus 3. grow organism in pure culture; establish factors influencing toxin prod
Objectives: 1. To determine the optimal composting conditions for the starfish waste 2. To determine the effect of composting on the saponin toxin present in the starfish 3. To determine levels of faecal coliforms and heavy metals folowing composting 4. To assess the nutrient value and electrical conductivity (salinity) of the resultant compost 5. To demonstrate the effect of the resultant composts on the growth of two plants (lettuces anf radishes) in a glasshouse tr ....Objectives: 1. To determine the optimal composting conditions for the starfish waste 2. To determine the effect of composting on the saponin toxin present in the starfish 3. To determine levels of faecal coliforms and heavy metals folowing composting 4. To assess the nutrient value and electrical conductivity (salinity) of the resultant compost 5. To demonstrate the effect of the resultant composts on the growth of two plants (lettuces anf radishes) in a glasshouse trials Read moreRead less
Improved Risk Management Of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins In Southern Rock Lobster
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$885,500.00
Summary
The $84 M lobster industry has been impacted by seasonal Tasmanian closures (up to 5+ months) due to PST contamination of hepatopancreas (HP) notably in the St Helens and Maria Island regions (up to 4 mg STX.diHCl/kg), and up to Flinders Island, with an estimated lost revenue cost of 780k (Campbell et al 2013). While only trace levels of PSTs have been detected to date in lobster tail meat, HP contamination poses significant trade barriers for key markets such as China and Hong Kong. Whil .... The $84 M lobster industry has been impacted by seasonal Tasmanian closures (up to 5+ months) due to PST contamination of hepatopancreas (HP) notably in the St Helens and Maria Island regions (up to 4 mg STX.diHCl/kg), and up to Flinders Island, with an estimated lost revenue cost of 780k (Campbell et al 2013). While only trace levels of PSTs have been detected to date in lobster tail meat, HP contamination poses significant trade barriers for key markets such as China and Hong Kong. While cooking of lobsters did not release biotoxins into the cooking water, HP is a sought after foodstuff (mainly used as a dipping sauce for tail meat) and consumed by 16% of fishers on the Tasmanian east coast and 22% on the west coast, but this has since decreased due to public health warnings. Limited evidence suggests that PST contamination of lobsters may also occasionally occur in South Australia and Victoria.
The monitoring, management and mitigation approaches for biotoxin risks in crustaceans (as spelled out in the DPIPWE Rock Lobster Biotoxin Plan and Decision Protocol) remain poorly developed. The current approach uses bivalve PST monitoring as a trigger for lobster testing, with a very limited number (5) animals tested at a prohibitive cost of 5k, which if positive (>0.8 mg/kg STX eq) leads to lengthy closures of large fishing zones.
The proposed work will refine monitoring tools to reduce the costs associated with PST biotoxin risk management of Southern Rock Lobster, including the application of cheaper and faster (and hence more frequent and more reliable) PST testing and also explore whether tests can be conducted in a non-destructive manner using haemolymph as a proxy.
In addition, tank studies of PST in lobster and field studies on the variation in toxicity, and the validation of a rapid test kit will help to inform the effectiveness of the current geographical zones in the management plan.
Potential impact of PST on lobster vigour will also be investigated using a combination of tank exposure and blood biomarker studies, the latter once calibrated also applied to Tasmanian field surveys.
Objectives: 1. Assess the applicability of Neogen PST test kits for lobster viscera 2. Exploration of Neogen PST tests on lobster haemolymph as a proxy for lobster viscera PST contamination 3. Determination of the impact of PST accumulation on lobster vigour 4. Improved definition of East Coast Tasmanian lobster management zones, based on improved understanding of dietary origin of PST (from tank studies), and improved understanding of variability ( from field studies ). Read moreRead less
Application Of An In-vitro Tissue Culture Assay For The Determination Of Paralytic Shellfish Poison (Saxitoxin Family) And Comparison To The Standard Mouse Bioassay And HPLC Assay.
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$49,823.71
Summary
Objectives: 1. To investigate the usefulness of the in-vitro tissue culture bioassay to detect and quantify paralytic shellfish poisons (saxitoxin family) in shellfish. 2. To compare the results obtained by the tissue culture bioassay with those obtained by mouse bioassay and HPLC techniques.
An Assessment In An Animal Model Of The Ability Of Mannitol And Other Possible Antagonists To Reverse The Neural Symptomatology Of Ciguatera Poisoning
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$8,647.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Use the ventral coccygeal nerve preparation of the intact anaesthetised rat to assess the efficiency of mannitol and other antagonists on the reversal of the neurological manifestations of ciguatera poisoning
Experimental And Clinical Studies Of Mannitol In The Treatment Of Ciguatera
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$119,284.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Clinically assess the efficiency of mannitol in treating ciguatera. 2. Develop in vitro & in vivo models of ciguatera able to assess the protective effects of mannitol; determine underlying mechanism/s. 3. Use it as a "lead" compound in search for other agents