Biosecurity Research Gets Support From Wa Government Funding

Media Release
1 December 2009 55/2009

Biosecurity research gets support from Government funding
$370,000 in funding, through the WA Government's Natural Resource Management (NRM)
strategy, will improve the State's marine biosecurity defences.
The funding is part of more than $2.2 million ($2,235,000) in NRM funding that is supporting
effectively directed fisheries research.
Department of Fisheries' Senior Fish Pathologist Dr Brian Jones said one project would enable
the purchase of diagnostic tools, for quick identification of aquatic pest and disease incursions,
the other would progress marine pest surveys in high-risk WA shipping ports.
"Until now, samples of marine pests and potential disease incursions had to be sent to Sydney
University for testing, but with the purchase of two important diagnostic tools we can improve
the speed and number of biosecurity tests we can do," Dr Jones said.
"The ability to identify pest and disease incursions will improve with the purchase of a Laser
Micro-Dissection Microscope, to be located in the department's Fish Health Unit in South Perth,
which will allow quick identification of pathogens seen at the cellular level."
Dr Jones said, along with the new laser microscope, the NRM funding would also facilitate the
purchase of a real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) unit.
"The PCR unit allows for large numbers of DNA samples to be identified in a matter of hours
rather than days, resulting in time and labour saving that, in a disease incursion, can provide a
significant advantage," he said.
"In addition to the new diagnostic tools, further work will be done to implement biosecurity
survey programs for the National Monitoring network."
Dr Jones said 18 ports around Australia had been identified as being responsible for more than
80% of the potential risk of introduced marine pests.
"WA has three of those ports - Dampier, Port Hedland and Fremantle. Monitoring plans have
already been developed for Fremantle and Dampier and part of the NRM funding will assist with
developing a plan for Port Hedland," he said.
"Marine pests can have very serious effects on ecosystems and these impacts have the potential
to be felt by all users of the marine environment.
"It is therefore extremely important to prevent marine pests from invading our shores, through
shipping activity that is regarded as a major source of introducing and distributing marine pests.
Monitoring programs and surveys help as front line defences."
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