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Management Action
Disease Homepage | Background & Impact | Biosecurity Protocols | Research & Surveillance | National Abalone Virus Scientific & Management Forum
Wild Stocks
In June 2006, coastal waters off Port Fairy were declared a Control Area under the Victorian Livestock Disease Control Act (1994), as the disease is listed as 'notifiable.'
Fishing and diving activities in the Control Area were restricted to minimise the risk of human activity transferring the disease to unaffected abalone populations elsewhere in the State.
The Control Area was replaced by a Temporary Abalone Closure, in the form of a Fisheries Notice under the Fisheries Act 1998. It was put in place to protect vulnerable and accessible abalone stocks close to Port Fairy from fishing pressure that have been impacted by the disease.
The Closure prohibits the:
- Taking of abalone, other shellfish and sea urchins,
- Use of commercial abalone fishing equipment,
- Collection of any substrate.
| The Temporary Abalone Closure area off Port Fairy. |
Vessels may move through and anchor within the area. Line fishing from the shore or boats is also permitted, as are surfing, swimming, diving (including for rock lobster) and walking along the shore/rocks. The Closure extends from the high water mark 1 km west of The Crags car park to the Killarney Beach car park.
On 1 April 2008 a new Fisheries Notice was introduced that incorporated a number of temporary measures aimed at providing additional protection to abalone populations recovering from the affects of the disease.
The Notice includes the following measures:
- An increase to the base Legal Minimum Length (LML) for blacklip abalone from 120mm to 130mm, for the entire western zone (from the mouth of the Hopkins River west to the South Australian border);
- Closing the western zone to commercial fishing for the 2008/09 quota season, except for the reefs at Julia Bank and Discovery Bay;
- Opening Lady Julia Percy Island reefs to commercial fishing on 1 June 2008; and
- The renewal of the current abalone closure between the Crags and Killarney.
The Fisheries Notice expires on 31 March 2009.
These temporary measures have been developed at the request of the commercial abalone industry and in consultation with all stakeholders.
Recreational divers taking abalone outside of the closed area between The Crags and Killarney should continue using their plastic yellow abalone measures, but should use the 130mm measurement for greenlip to ensure they comply with the temporary LML increase. It is also important that divers, anglers, boat operators, surfers and anyone else accessing the ocean continue to observe the Department’s biosecurity protocols, which aim to minimise the risk of spreading the virus.
Abalone farms
The abalone farms have all voluntarily disinfected and decontaminated. Sentinal trials at the two land based farms have shown that the decontamination process was essential. This process was overseen by the Department of Primary Industries.
The farms have been permitted to restock in line with processes consistent with the National guidelines for translocation of aquatic animals. This includes extensive pathology testing and biosecurity arrangements.
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