Determination of the disease status of Western Australian commercial prawn stocks

Funded Activity Summary

1) TO REINFORCE THE TRANSLOCATION POLICY
Western Australia has approved a number of applications to farm prawns and there is increasing pressure to import postlarvae from Queensland. Also, prawn farms using local stock are being developed in areas adjacent to wild stock fisheries.

The disease risks are, therefore, two-fold: from introduced diseases and from endemic diseases which may be amplified through aquaculture hatchery and growout operations. Both situations can pose increased risks to wild stocks in adjacent waters and to the aquaculture ventures themselves.

There is almost no data available on the health status of existing prawn stocks within WA on which to base translocation decisions and disease management plans, other than the knowledge that virus diseases do occur. Whether aquaculture of prawns in WA is economically viable or not, the translocation of prawns from Queensland will result in the introduction of diseases with potential to affect both the disease status of the State and impact on the wild fishery. The prawn trawl industry was worth ca. $30 million in 1993-94.

However, the Fisheries Department of WA does not wish to hamper the development of farms by imposing unnecessary restrictions on translocation and further, under international and domestic guidelines, movements can only be prevented on disease grounds if surveys have actually confirmed a disease-free status. Absence of information is not a valid reason to prevent movements.

2) TO PROTECT THE DISEASE STATUS OF THE WILD STOCK FISHERY
Stocks of prawns off the north coast of Western Australia have not yet been exposed to introductions of prawns from other states or from overseas. They are, therefore, of great value commercially both for the production of specific pathogen free and for high-salinity stock. This potential market is being put at risk by the importation of prawn postlarvae for ongrowing with its potential to also import prawn viruses. Though steps are taken to minimise the risk of inadvertent spread of diseases to the local wild populations, overseas experience has shown that disease spread eventually occurs. We also know very little about the existing virus diseases and their impact on the wild fishery, and relationship to viruses elsewhere in Australia.

Objectives:
1. Detect and document the serious diseases and significant pathogens of wild penaeids in Western Australia
2. Develop a database of disease, location and prevalence that can assist both government and industry in making informed decisions about translocation of stock

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 22-06-1998

End Date: 23-06-2004

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $140,105.00

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

Disease | Fisheries Management | Stock Assessment

Related Links