Perkinsus olseni
Perkinsus olseni is a protozoan parasite that can affect abalone and other mollusc species. It causes disease and in chronic cases, can cause mortality.
Perkinsus olseni occurs in South Australian waters. It is a notifiable disease, meaning it must be reported.
This disease does not pose a human health risk. Abalone infected with Perkinsus olseni are safe to eat.
How to identify Perkinsus olseni
Signs of the disease in blacklip and greenlip abalone can include:
- brown, sphere-shaped abscesses up to 8mm in diameter (the size of a pea/sultana), with a creamy brown or cheese-like deposit in the foot and mantle
- thin, watery tissue with a pale digestive gland
- nodules in the mantle and gills.
It is important to note that disease may be present, even if none of the above signs are visible.
Guidelines for decontamination
If you suspect that you have come into contact with abalone infected with Perkinsus olseni, you should:
- remove all fishing and dive gear from the water and store it on board your vessel
- quarantine the suspect abalone, including shell and gut, inside a plastic container or bag so the disease does not spread
- immediately return to shore and phone the Fishwatch hotline – a Fisheries Officer may ask you to provide a sample
- dispose of remaining infected abalone, including the shell and gut, in household rubbish – do not dispose of it at sea
- wash your hands with soapy fresh water
- on land, thoroughly rinse your fishing and diving gear with soapy freshwater and allow to fully dry before re-using.
Protect SA abalone
Live abalone must not be brought into South Australia from interstate, unless within the requirements of the Livestock Act 1997.
Learn how to help protect our aquatic environments from the introduction of disease on the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources website.
Do not use dead abalone or abalone gut for bait or berley. Dead abalone or gut purchased as seafood for human consumption may have been sourced from interstate. By using it in South Australian waters, you risk spreading aquatic diseases.
If you find dead abalone, especially clusters of shells, report it to the Fishwatch hotline.
Carefully follow the above decontamination guidelines if you suspect you or your fishing/diving gear has come into contact with infected abalone.
Dispose of abalone shell, meat and gut in household rubbish, not at sea.
