Aquatic diseases
Aquatic animals can be infected by diseases that are caused by pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and parasites. These can impact:
- sustainability and health of commercial and recreational fisheries
- productivity of our aquaculture industries
- access to markets for seafood industries
- SA's aquatic environment.
PIRSA protects the state's valuable aquatic species through disease prevention measures and surveillance, livestock movement restrictions, and outbreak preparation.
Identifying aquatic animal diseases
Everyone can help our fisheries and aquaculture sectors by learning to look for the signs of disease in finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, and amphibians.
Use the national Aquatic Animal Diseases Significant to Australia: Identification Field Guide, intended to help commercial and recreational fishers, aquaculture workers, quarantine staff and scientists, conservationists, and students.
Aquatic diseases of concern to SA
- Abalone viral ganglioneuritis (AVG) – exotic
- Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS)
- Perkinsus olseni – endemic
- White spot disease (WSD).
Read more information about Abalone biosecurity standards.
See the full list of notifiable diseases and learn about reporting animal disease.
