Disease-Watch - Welcome

Hi everyone. Welcome to Newsletter 2 of 12. For those in the South we trust that the ‘chills of winter’ will soon pass as spring is just around the corner…and for those who are fortunate to live in the sub tropics…well the rest of us are a little envious right at this moment.

Many of you by now are aware of the comprehensive awareness kit for aquatic animal disease emergencies that has recently been developed by Big Time® Media Pty Ltd. If you have already have a copy of the kit, please take the time to visit the accompanying Web Site www.disease-watch.com for updates, links to other web sites and further information.

If you have not yet received a copy of the kit, order one now by filling out the following form. http://www.disease-watch.com/orderKit.htm And yes the Kit is FREE!

For those with questions or comments that may be helpful to others involved in the Australian Aquaculture Industry, there is an ON LINE FORUM http://www.disease-watch.com/forum.asp (or discussion bulletin board) on the web site. Here you can leave messages for others, make comments or suggestions on various topics or ask questions that other members may be able to answer for you. This is your SPACE and we encourage you to use it on a regular basis.

 

AQUAPLAN 1998-2003- Outcomes

AQUAPLAN 1998-2003 provided, for the first time, an integrated and planned approach with industry and governments working together to maximise the opportunities for, and profitability of Australian aquaculture and fisheries. It was instrumental in significantly enhancing Australia’s aquatic animal disease emergency preparedness and response arrangements

As AQUAPLAN – Australia’s National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health 1998 – 2003 drew to a close, it could be seen that considerable progress was made against most of the projects. However, much work still needs to be done.

To maintain Australia’s relative disease free status, continue to enhance our emergency preparedness and response arrangements and further underpin market access, industry and governments recognised the need for a new national aquatic animal health strategy to follow on from the success of AQUAPLAN 1998-2003. This led to the development of AQUAPLAN 2005-2010 Australia’s National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health.

How was AQUAPLAN 2005-2010 developed?

AQUAPLAN 2005-2010 has been jointly developed by governments and private industry sectors under the oversight of the Aquatic Animal Health Committee, and seeks to build and enhance capacity for the management of aquatic animal health in the Australian aquaculture industry.

The development of AQUAPLAN 2005-2010 involved extensive consultation with governments, a wide range of aquaculture industries, researchers, conservation groups, the wild catch and recreational fishing industries, and educational institutes around Australia. These stakeholders identified and ranked priority health issues that will face the aquaculture industry over the five years 2005-2010. The highest ranked issues were developed with further consultation with these groups, and have become the key strategies of AQUAPLAN 2005-2010.

What does AQUAPLAN 2005 – 2010 cover?

The AQUAPLAN 2005 – 2010 strategies are:

• Enhanced integration and scope of aquatic animal health surveillance in Australia
• Harmonisation of approaches to aquatic animal health in Australia
• Establishment of an emergency animal disease response agreement for Australian aquaculture industries
• Education and training in the aquatic animal health sector
• Welfare standards for aquaculture
• Appropriate use of therapeutics for aquatic animal health management
• Aquatic animal health as part of ecologically sustainable development

Each individual strategy includes a detailed description of the strategy objectives and the projects that must be carried out to achieve progress against the objectives.

AQUAPLAN 2005 - 2010 also includes indicative budgets for the implementation of the individual strategies. These budgets are indicative in nature and as such only provide an estimate of the cost of implementing actions to achieve progress against the strategy objectives. The indicative budgets do not attribute costs to stakeholder groups.

What are the next steps?

AQUAPLAN 2005 – 2010 will be presented to the heads of the State and Territory Primary Industries and Fisheries Departments (PISC) and relevant Ministers (PIMC) at their meetings in September and October this year. Following PISC and PIMC endorsement of AQUAPLAN 2005 – 2010, the Aquatic Animal Health Committee will coordinate discussions between governments and industry regarding the funding and resource allocation required for the implementation of AQUAPLAN 2005 – 2010.

For further information on AQUAPLAN 2005-2010 contact:
Aquatic Animal Health Unit, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: ph: 02 6271 6300 email: aah@daff.gov.au or visit: www.daff.gov.au/aquaticanimalhealth.

 

Australasian Aquaculture 2004 will be the first in a series of national aquaculture conferences to be held biennially near the major aquaculture producing areas of Australia. Australasian Aquaculture 2004 will be the biggest aquaculture conference and trade show in Australia since World Aquaculture '99. This international conference and trade show will examine the Australian National Aquaculture Action Agenda and also provide a wider forum for general exchange of technical information among producers, suppliers of equipment and services, researchers and policy makers. Australia is an ideal location for the event because of its close links with New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Asia.

http://www.australian-aquacultureportal.com/conference.asp
Click here to register now!

This correspondence is delivered on behalf of the National Aquaculture Council.
Your contact emails have been obtained from the Australian Aquaculture Portal Website

www.australian-aquacultureportal.com