AVA Conference Adelaide 2016

VThe Aquaculture industry in Australia is a growing field, and the demand for seafood domestically and internationally is projected to rise in tonnage. The Australian aquaculture industry currently includes the production of oysters, mussels, prawns, barramundi, kingfish, silver perch (and other native fish), trout, salmon and Southern Bluefin tuna as commercial species. The aquaculture systems used to grow these species include recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS), flow-through, semi-flow through, sea-cage systems and ponds. These diverse systems require tailored health and biosecurity management strategies to suit the needs of each individual business/farm. To support growing levels of production, health management of stock is necessary to optimise performance and survival, which feeds into profitability of businesses. Health management is seen to be more holistic and encompasses not only disease control and prevention but also welfare management; and research and development. Veterinarians hold an essential future in this field, but support is needed for post-graduate training and continuing education. Attaining the right people in the field will support a culture of continuous improvement to strive for best-practice health management across the industry. Most importantly, an understanding the roles of other professionals in the field is necessary for collaboration and successful implementation of health and welfare systems