Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: development of a national translocation policy using abalone and prawns as templates for other aquatic species

Funded Activity Summary

To maximize gains from the breeding programs they need to cross best performing stock. Where the stock is located in different States, there is a need to move the animals across state borders - preferably as animal or seed, but the ability to move gametes or larvae would be viewed as significant progress towards achieving the objectives of the program. The project leaders are also requesting that the business of selling genetically enhanced stock not be restricted to customers within state borders as this limit would make the program economically unviable.

This need for national translocation policies is becoming urgent with the steady but unpublicized increase in the number of aquatic animal hatcheries across Australia. To make the hatcheries viable, sales across jurisdictions in some industries are essential in some industries. Considering all aquatic animal species, not just abalone, Western Australia alone has in excess of seventeen aquaculture production hatcheries (as at August 2003) and this pattern is similar in other jurisdictions.

Objectives:
1. To develop a single consistent translocation policy document for live temperate abalone, involving Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, which is based on scientific risk assessment principles; recognizes that the disease status of wild abalone populations is still unclear; may recognize different zones of “risk” and is consistent with Australia’s international obligations.
2. To develop a single consistent translocation policy document for live prawns, involving Queensland, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Western Australia, which is based on scientific risk assessment principles; recognizes that the disease status of wild prawn populations is still unclear; may recognize different zones of “risk” and is consistent with Australia’s international obligations.
3. To indicate how these policies can be a template for other translocation issues.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 31-05-2004

End Date: 16-01-2007

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $24,391.00

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Animal Health | Aquaculture | Behaviour | Biosecurity | Disease | Fisheries Management | Migration | Risk reduction | Stock Assessment

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