National Abalone Health Work Plan - Summary Table

Legend

Grey = Complete Green = Funded Amber = PARTLY funded Red = NOT funded

Epidemiology

1. Diagnostic test development

OUTCOME PROGRESS FUNDING STATUS
1.1 Technique to isolate and concentrate AbHv from abalone tissues
Vic DPI, CSIRO-AAHL
COMPLETED Funded
Part of FRDC project 2007/006
1.2 A rapid and specific diagnostic test
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW
COMPLETED Funded
Part of FRDC project 2007/006; in-kind support provided by Tas DPIW as part of the test validation process
1.3 Quantitative real-time PCR test
CSIRO-AAHL
PROJECT TO COMMENCE
(Delayed due to contract issues)
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2009/032
1.4 Secondary diagnostic test (in situ hybridisation, ISH)
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW
COMMENCED Funded
Part of a FRDC project 2007/006; with additional funding CSIRO-AAHL and Vic DPI
1.5 Validation of diagnostic tests (including ISH)
CSIRO-AAHL, state diagnostic laboratories
COMMENCED Funded
Part of FRDC project 2007/006;Tas DPIW (in-kind support); part of FRDC project 2009/032
1.6 Investigation of the applicability of diagnostic techniques suitable to detect sub-clinical carriage
CSIRO-AAHL, Tas DPWI, SARDI, Vic DPI
PROJECT TO COMMENCE
August 2009
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2009/032
1.7 Case definition for AVG
Aquatic CCEAD, NAAH-TWG
COMPLETED Funded
Initially through in-kind support of AqCCEAD members

2. Aetiology & Immunology

OUTCOME PROGRESS FUNDING STATUS
2.1 Confirmation that the isolated and sequenced virus is the causative agent of AVG
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW
COMPLETED
Manuscripts in preparation
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2007/006
2.2 Compare various isolates of the AbHv collected from different regions throughout Australia
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW
PROJECT TO COMMENCE August 2009 Funded
To be addressed through FRDC project 2009/032
2.3 Establish the possible relationships with other viral mollusc diseases that have occurred overseas
CSIRO-AAHL
COMMENCED
Further collaboration under negotiation
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2007/006
2.4 Determine if other species (abalone and other molluscs) are suitable hosts for AVG
CSIRO-AAHL, in-kind support for collection of samples
NOT COMMENCED;
MODERATE PRIORITY
Not funded
Some economies possible through existing projects e.g. FRDC 2009/032. Infection trials at CSIRO-AAHL have been estimated to cost $60,000
2.5 Establish whether abalone can mount an immune response to infection
Flinders University, TAFI, Vic DPI, CSIRO-AAHL
COMMENCED Funded
Seafood CRC/FRDC PhD project: Antiviral Activity and Resistance to AVG

3. Virus inactivation and Transmission

OUTCOME PROGRESS FUNDING STATUS
3.1 Agent stability (Survival of the virus in seawater)
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, SARDI, PIRSA, Tas DPIW
PROJECT TO COMMENCE
August 2009
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2009/032
3.2 Agent stability (Survival of the virus on fomites)
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, SARDI, PIRSA, Tas DPIW
PROJECT TO COMMENCE
August 2009
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2009/032
3.3 Agent stability (Efficacy of treatments)
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, SARDI, PIRSA, Tas DPIW
PROJECT TO COMMENCE
August 2009
Funded
Part of FRDC project 2009/032
3.4 Assess and refine decontamination and disinfection protocols for AbHv under a range of conditions
AAHC
PROJECT TO COMMENCE
following the results of projects 3.1 to 3.3
Not Funded separately
Extension of project 5.2

4. Surveillance

OUTCOME PROGRESS FUNDING STATUS
4.1 Establish the true extent of virus distribution around the affected areas in abalone populations in Victoria and Tasmania
CSIRO-AAHL, Vic DPI, Tas DPIW
COMMENCED Funded
Part of FRDC project 2007/006
In-kind support required for completion. Surveillance activities have been undertaken by jurisdictions and industry
4.2 Establish the true range of virus throughout Australia
Jurisdictions
COMMENCED;
HIGH PRIORITY
Partly Funded
Surveillance activities have been undertaken by state governments and industry but the effort is not coordinated. In-kind support from jurisdictions (provision of samples) and funds for testing are required to establish the distribution of this virus in Australia

Biosecurity

5. Biosecurity Work Plan-incorporating: Emergency Preparedness including Response Agreements & Mitigation and Prevention

OUTCOME PROGRESS FUNDING STATUS
5.1 Investigate an emergency aquatic animal disease response agreement (EAADRA) using the abalone industry as a first model
AAHC (AHC from 1 July 2009)
COMMENCED Funded
Initially funded by DAFF. In July 2008 NBC endorsed a shared funding arrangement for two years to enable the AAHC-EAADRA working group to meet its terms of reference; shared between eight partners (six states, NT, Aus Govt) plus in-kind support from contributors.
8/2/09 - Progressing well and a draft document has been produced.
5.2 Consolidate biosecurity measures for each jurisdiction into consistent national biosecurity guidelines
AAHC, jurisdictions, industry
NOT COMMENCED Not funded
$30,000 is required to review the considerable work undertaken by jurisdictions and industry to develop a nationally agreed approach to abalone biosecurity.
8/2/10 – Still not funded.
5.3 National contingency plan for AVG outbreaks
DAFF, NAAH-TWG, AAHC
COMMENCED Funded
DAFF. In-kind support from NAAH-TWG as part of the technical review process
5.4 Biosecurity Surveillance Incident Response and Tracing (BioSIRT)
PIRSA, DAFF, Tas DPIW
COMMENCED Funded
The BioSIRT program is fully supported and funded by jurisdictions and the Commonwealth. In-kind support PIRSA and Tas DPIW

Stock sustainability

6. Stock Sustainability

OUTCOME PROGRESS FUNDING STATUS
6.1 Economic cost benefit analysis of rebuilding intervention options

WADA (Mr Harry Peeters), Biospherics (Dr Jeremy Prince,) Dr Sarah Jennings, UTAS
COMPLETED Funded
FRDC Project No. 2008/076.
($43,000) Research report completed - Prince & Peeters (2010) Costs-benefit Analysis of Implementing Alternative Techniques for Rehabilitating Reefs Severely Depleted by the Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis Epidemic.
6.2 Develop a robust Total Allowable Catch (TAC) setting process for affected fisheries

Vic DPI, Industry
COMMENCED Partly funded
Being considered through the development of new Victorian Abalone Fishery Management Plan. In kind contributions from VPDI and the abalone industry. Potential for a further R&D project in future as will rely on outputs from other projects. WADA applying for additional FRDC funding as TRF.
6.3 Develop methodologies for stock rebuilding interventions including decision framework for best intervention option and evaluation

WADA, Vic DPI, SARDI, NSW abalone industry
COMPLETED
Structured fishing design completed and now in operation.
Funded
FRDC Project No. 2008/077.
Research report completed - Peeters et al (2010) Developing cost-effective and reliable Industry-based surveys to advise reopening and conservative management of abalone populations on AVG-affected reefs.
Research report completed - Mayfield et al (2009) Biomass of blacklip abalone (Haliotis Rubra) between Pt Fairy and the Crags in the Western Zone of the Victorian abalone fishery. SARDI Publication Number F2009/000443-1.)
6.5 Determine interdependencies between ecosystem components and stock rebuilding options

Vic DPI
COMPLETED Funded
FRDC Project No. 2006/040.
VDPI ($212,000), FRDC ($314,000).
Research report completed - Hamer et al. (2010) Understanding the ecological role of abalone in the reef ecosystem of Victoria. ISBN #978-1-74217-916-2
6.6 Management Strategy Evaluation - Rapid response to abalone virus depletion in western Victoria

Melbourne University, Vic DPI
COMPLETED Funded
FRDC Project No. 2007/066.
Simulation modelling of four disease-affected reefcodes in the Port Fairy region modelling completed. Results reported in Fish news article and in segment on Escape with ET.
Research report completed – Gorfine et al (2008) Rapid response to abalone virus depletion in western Victoria: information acquisition and reef code assessment.