The Aquatic Pest and Health Policy (APHP) section coordinates national activities to manage aquatic animal health in conjunction with state and territory governments and industry. These activities have a strong focus on enhancing diagnostic capability, disease surveillance and emergency preparedness.
The purpose, status and results (where available) of each of these national projects are summarised below. These include projects on:
- Active and passive surveillance
- Diagnostic capability and capacity building
- Disease recognition and information
- Education and training
Active and passive surveillance projects
Australia’s aquatic animal health surveillance system has a number of components. Passive (general) surveillance is the process whereby disease in animals is noticed by someone, who informs or seeks assistance from a veterinarian or other person with aquatic animal health knowledge, who in turn investigates the problem and instigates a laboratory investigation, the outcome of which is a diagnosis. The other type of surveillance is active or targeted surveillance. Australia has a number of national active (targeted) surveillance programs, each of which is designed to meet specific objectives (for example, trade, disease control and eradication). Collectively, these elements constitute Australia’s national surveillance system.
Status: Complete
From late 2016 to early 2017, Australia experienced the outbreak of white spot disease on seven farms in southeast Queensland. In response to the outbreak, a nationally coordinated surveillance program for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was commenced in November 2017. The objective of the national surveillance program was to demonstrate national freedom, or alternatively, zone freedom from WSSV based on the criteria set by the international standards. This surveillance demonstrated WSSV freedom for all areas of Australia, apart from a small zone in southeast Queensland.
For further information on the white spot disease outbreak visit outbreak.gov.au.
A summary of the surveillance program results 2017–2020 can be found below:
National Surveillance Program for WSSV 2017-2020 – summary of results PDF [163 KB]
National arrangements for ongoing surveillance, including targeted surveillance of the boundaries of the Movement Regulated Area (MRA), will continue until 2022 to provide confidence regarding containment of WSSV to the MRA. A summary of the surveillance program results for 2021 and 2022 will be provided at the conclusion of the project.
Status: Complete
The structured surveillance program for the Australian tropical freshwater ornamental fish production sector tested a group of exotic disease agents, megalocytiviruses, in the susceptible species (cichlids, gourami and poecillid fish) that were produced at licensed facilities in Australia. It was concluded that domestic farmed fish populations of either cichlid, gourami and poecillid fish families from four Australian jurisdictions (n=546) were free from megalocytiviruses.
A summary of the surveillance program results is being developed and will be made available by late-January 2022. Please contact Aquatic Pest and Health Policy for further information.
Status: Complete
This project aimed to improve Australia’s active surveillance capability for exotic and endemic diseases of market access importance. Australia’s wild and farmed abalone sectors agreed to participate in this nationally coordinated active surveillance project.
Haliotid herpesvirus-1 (HaHV-1; present in Australia) and Perkinsus species (some species are present in Australia but P. marinus is exotic to Australia) were tested for in abalone from participating farms and wild abalone fisheries, and Xenohaliotis californiensis (exotic to Australia) was tested for in abalone from participating farms. HaHV 1 and X. californiensis were not detected in any farmed and wild samples. P. marinus was not detected, however some endemic species of Perkinsus were detected in animals from known infected areas.
The project has significantly improved national surveillance and diagnostic capabilities through designing nationally consistent sampling strategies and implementing inter-laboratory comparison programs among participating national and state government laboratories for two pathogens that are present in some areas of Australia.
A summary of the surveillance program results can be found below:
Active surveillance project for wild and farmed abalone – summary of results PDF [224 KB]
Status: Complete
Similar to the surveillance program for the abalone sectors, a structured surveillance program for Australian barramundi hatcheries was agreed by the barramundi aquaculture industry. The surveillance plan included two exotic disease agents (megalocytiviruses and scale drop disease virus) and an endemic disease of trade significance (nervous necrosis virus). The inter-laboratory comparison program has also been completed.
A summary of the surveillance program results 2019-2021 can be found below:
Active surveillance program for barramundi hatcheries - summary of results PDF [224 KB]
Status: On-going
Milestones: Project application under development.
Australia relies on passive surveillance to demonstrate freedom from the majority of aquatic animal diseases of trade and biosecurity significance. However, it is difficult to discern how the traditional approaches such as gathering negative data of disease reporting, promoting awareness materials, and providing training opportunities to surveillance stakeholders, would have led to the good surveillance outcomes. To overcome these challenges, modelling from data collected from the national disease reporting system, stakeholder interviews and surveys, and expert opinion elicitation, will be used to describe a nationally consistent and quantitative framework for assessment of the effectiveness of Australia’s surveillance system.
This project is included as an activity under the fourth National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health, AQUAPLAN.
Status: Complete
Abalone viral ganglioneuritis (AVG) caused by Haliotid herpesvirus-1 (HaHV-1) was first detected and reported in Australia on land-based abalone farms in Victoria in 2005 and later in Tasmania in 2008. Following outbreaks on farms in each state, the virus was subsequently detected in wild abalone populations.
To promote safe translocation of abalone between jurisdictions, AHAP was established in 2014 to enable the abalone aquaculture industry to demonstrate compartment freedom from disease of concern. The AHAP ensures surveillance, biosecurity, auditing and accreditation requirements are nationally consistent and transparent. The AHAP is also consistent with the compartmentalisation standards for infection with HaHV-1 described in the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code.
A summary of the nationally agreed program can be found below:
Diagnostic capability and capacity building projects
Status: On-going
Milestones: 10 of 12 milestones complete. Final report due August 2023.
The Australian proficiency testing (PT) program for aquatic animal disease enables Australian laboratories to assess their diagnostic capabilities to correctly detect priority aquatic animal diseases using molecular methods. Participants include private, university and state/territory government laboratories. Participating laboratories benefit from benchmarking to support reproducibility and validation of tests, strengthening competencies and laboratory techniques, and support for accreditation.
Australia’s government and private laboratories can participate in PT for eight aquatic animal disease agents:
- haliotid herpesvirus-1 (HaHV-1)
- yellowhead virus-1 (YHV1)
- ostreid herpesvirus-1 microvariant (OsHV-1)
- nervous necrosis virus (NNV)
- white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)
- megalocytiviruses (MCV)
- Bonamia exitiosa
- Perkinsus olseni.
The national PT program is run by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation – Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (CSIRO-ACDP) accredited PT scheme provider.
Status: On-going
Milestones: 16 of 19 complete. Final report due June 2023
The Asia-Pacific laboratory proficiency testing (PT) program on Aquatic Animal Diseases is a four-year long program designed to strengthen laboratory diagnostic capabilities for aquatic animal diseases of significance across the Asia-Pacific. It is a follow on from a previously funded PT program in 2012-2014 that saw an improvement in the regional capability of Australia’s trading partners to detect and diagnose important aquatic animal diseases.
The current program includes more than 40 laboratories from 16 countries within the Asia-Pacific, including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
The expectation at the conclusion of the PT program is that there will be increased confidence in the testing capabilities and performance of each of the regional laboratories and increased ability to diagnose and detect aquatic diseases of transboundary significance.
As part of the program, a workshop was held in 2019 to offer direct communication with laboratory representatives from the program to aid laboratories in the understanding of diagnostic standards, proficiency testing procedures and laboratory quality assurance management systems. The workshop was run in collaboration with the Network of Aquaculture in Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and the final report is available on their website.
The Asia-Pacific PT program is run by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation – Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (CSIRO-ACDP) accredited PT scheme provider.
Status: On-going
Milestones: 2 of 4 complete. Final report due June 2023.
Pooling of samples (for example using 5 samples and testing them as one) is a useful technique for reducing testing costs and increasing sampling intensity. However, by its nature pooling could potentially dilute very low numbers of pathogens in samples to below detectable levels, reducing sensitivity. In this project, the effect of pooling on diagnostic sensitivity of tests is evaluated for the purposes of surveillance (including sub-clinical infection) of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), yellow head virus-1 (YHV-1) and Megalocytivirus (MCV), all of which are aquatic animal pathogens of national and trade significance. The intended outcome is to determine the effect of pooling on diagnostic sensitivity, enable testing to be more cost-effective, and increase confidence in result accuracy.
A summary of the project results will be provided at the conclusion of the project.
Status: Complete
Validation of diagnostic tests for aquatic animal diseases has been recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as necessary to improve confidence in test results and to provide evidence required for accurate interpretation of laboratory test results.
The validation data for the current OIE- recommended PCR assays for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and ostreid herpes virus 1 (OsHV-1) does not fulfil all stages of the OIE assay validation pathway. The purpose of this study is to complete the OIE validation pathway for these PCR assays used under Australian conditions.
A summary of the results can be provided upon request by stakeholders. Please contact Aquatic Pest and Health Policy for further information.
Status: Complete
The whole genome sequencing of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) isolates is generated from various crustacean samples collected during 2016–2017 outbreak in south east Queensland. Samples include wild crustacean samples collected within the Queensland movement restricted area, samples collected during the disease episode in April 2020, and overseas samples with the known provenance. Based on nucleotide similarities, phylogenetic analysis of the WSSV whole genome sequences from Australian and international sources will provide detailed information on genetic similarities of various WSSV strains and geographic and temporal distribution of WSSV strains.
A summary of the results can be provided upon request by stakeholders. Please contact Aquatic Pest and Health Policy for further information.
Disease recognition and information projects
Status: On-going
Milestones: Project plan under development.
Neptune is Australia’s aquatic animal disease information management system, collaboratively developed by the CSIRO and the Department Agriculture, Water and the Environment. It is an online database of all published reports of aquatic animal diseases and pathogens in Australia, some of which contain high resolution whole-slide digital images of histopathology. Neptune will be made accessible to any interested stakeholder as a tool for sharing aquatic animal health knowledge.
Australia’s aquatic animal community, including national, state and territory governments, aquatic animal industry, researchers and other aquatic animal health professionals have all contributed to the information found on Neptune.
This project is included as an activity under the fourth National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health, AQUAPLAN.
Status: Complete
The Aquatic Animal Diseases Significant to Australia: Identification Field Guide aims to help people who work closely with aquatic animals recognise diseases significant to aquaculture and fisheries in Australia. The 5th edition of the field guide is the most recent revision and incorporates information on 53 aquatic animal diseases of finfish, crustaceans, molluscs and amphibians.
Education and training
Status: On-going
Milestones: 3 of 4 are complete. Final report due May 2022.
The aim of the training scheme is to improve knowledge and skills in aquatic animal health management to support Australia’s fishing and aquaculture industry, including the aquarium sector. Funding is available on a competitive basis to support individuals and groups to either undertake training activities or to provide the opportunity for training activities to others.
The training is usually short and focused. Training activities may be undertaken within Australia or overseas. For those seeking funds to provide training, innovative activities with a wide reach are encouraged and may include sponsoring visiting experts or hosting master classes and short courses.
People working in Australian aquatic animal production industries are eligible for the training scheme. For example, those working in Australian aquaculture or commercial wild capture industries with a specific health component in their role. Veterinarians, pathologists, diagnosticians, researchers, educators, and persons engaged in aspects of Australian aquatic health management are also eligible for the scheme.
Undergraduate and postgraduate students are ineligible for the training scheme.
For more information on the training scheme or to apply please visit the FRDC’s website. Or contact Aquatic Pest and Health Policy for further information.