Sea cucumber health and biosecurity for aquaculture development.

Summary

Australian sea cucumber (Holothuria scabra) production is in its infancy. This two-year pilot study comprises of three components with an aim to assist the scale of commercial production in Australia. Hatchery health will be examined with an aim to create a structured approach to monitoring and enhancing the health of broodstocks and young animals, with a hatchery guide to be developed. Ranching health will be analysed to create a simple protocol for routine health monitoring of animals, and biosecurity risk mapping will occur to develop a risk assessment report to inform mitigation options for identified contaminant risk as well as being a tool for selecting new ranching sites.

Program

New and Emerging Industries

Research Organisation

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

Objective Summary

The objectives of this project are broken down into three key components:
1. Hatchery health – create a structured approach to monitoring and enhancing the health of broodstocks and young animals
2. Ranching health – create a simple protocol for routine health monitoring of animals
3. Biosecurity risk mapping – develop and apply environmental health risk tools to map the biosecurity risk for the NT locations used to grow the sea cucumbers via a risk assessment report.