SCRC: ASCRC Sponsorship: 9th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety (ICMSS), Sydney, 2013 and Industry Master Classes

Funded Activity Summary

The Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (ASQAAC)* saw and supported the need to host the international premier shellfish safety event, ICMSS, in Australia. ASQAAC aim to deliver a ‘cutting edge’ programme focussed on shellfish safety and related disciplines and encourages participation from a broad range of national and international experts and students. ICMSS is the principal shellfish safety event worldwide for industry, government regulators and researchers to share knowledge and experience on shellfish safety issues. ASQAAC won a bid in June 2009 at ICMSS, France 2009 to return the 9th ICMSS Conference to Sydney, Australia where it was initiated in 1994.

ASQAAC's aim is not to profiteer from hosting the conference but to include as many international experts, local industry and students as possible with the aim of;
• Limiting the health risks associated with microbiological, marine biotoxin and other chemical contamination of shellfish;
• Improvement of effective and efficient management procedures and detection tools to prevent and/or monitor shellfish contamination; and
• Promotion of international harmonisation of shellfish safety standards and regulations.

From a global perspective Australia has an admirably healthy marine environment with respect to potential seafood safety risks, this has resulted in ‘high quality safe-to-eat’ shellfish. The relatively low shellfish safety risk in Australia has promoted the uptake of risk-based shellfish safety management practices, pragmatic regulation and innovative approaches.

Hosting the ICMSS provides a unique opportunity to showcase Australia's point of difference, particularly in discussions of international program harmonisation, and promote the Australian shellfish safety sector as well as the Australian seafood industry in general.

* ASQAAC is a collaborative tripartite relationship between regulators, industry and researchers and is a national forum to identify and solve emerging food safety challenges and promote national consistency.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-03-2013

End Date: 01-04-2013

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

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

Biology | Diagnostic | Fisheries Management | Health And Safety | Safety | Shellfish Industry | Toxin | Water quality

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