Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture ...

8.1.5 Farm attendant
The Farm Attendant answers to the Site Supervisor and Technical Manager and is responsible
for:
� Reporting all incidents of entanglement of wildlife and escape of fish immediately to the
Site Supervisor.
� Daily collection of field environmental data in accordance with this EMMP.
8.2 Disease management and chemical usage
MPA will manage all disease outbreaks and treatments in accordance with conditions outlined
in DoF Aquaculture Licence 1465 and the Environmental Code of Practice for Management of
Western Australia’s Marine Fin-fish Industry (DoF 2009), and the National Aquaplan (2005-
2010) – Australian National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health (DoFF 2005), and
procedures detailed in the national AQUAVETPLAN Enterprise Manual (DoFF 2009).
The primary aim of disease mitigation at Marine Produce Australia is the promotion of fish
health through sound husbandry practices. Disease prevention is considered to be the most
economically, environmentally and socially sustainable approach to managing fish health. To
manage fish health at MPA the key focus areas are:
� Maintenance of optimum stocking densities relative to prevailing environmental conditions
� Provision of adequate fish nutrition;
� Reduction of factors causing fish stress; and
� Continuous development and improvement husbandry practices and will strive for
industry best-practice.
The secondary focus of disease mitigation is aimed at managing the effects of disease
through treatment. The MPA disease treatment strategy focuses on:
� Fish husbandry measures (e.g. destocking, transferring);
� Non prescribed therapeutants; and
� Prescribed therapeutants.
Monitoring farmed fish for signs of disease is an integral part of the MPA fish health program.
Early detection of disease is essential for effective disease mitigation. The key tool for early
identification of fish health issues is the routine observation of fish by farm technical staff.
Farm staff will be trained to identify signs of disease in farmed fish, and to take appropriate
action, including reporting of all suspected disease observations to management immediately.
Typical signs of disease include:
� Loss of appetite;
� Poor feed response;
� Presence of unexpected mortalities;
� Erratic, lethargic or directionless swimming;
� Gasping and coughing; and
� Swimming on the surface.
Fish health sampling for submission to Fish Health is conducted at MPA for the following
reasons:
� Routine submission of fish samples for bacteriology and histology; and
� Submission of fish samples in response to disease observations, for diagnostic services.
In implementing the BHMEP, MPA, in the event of disease outbreak, will:
� Report all suspected disease outbreaks to DoF Aquaculture branch and the Principal
Veterinarian at the WA Fish Health Laboratories;
Oceanica: Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture, Environmental Monitoring & Management Plan 49