Improving risk management of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) in the Blacklip Abalone (Haliotis rubra rubra)

This proposal has been developed to improve the risk management of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) in abalone, particularly to reduce the economic impact on fishers. It builds on initial risk assessment work for the occurrence of PST in abalone conducted in response to the 2012 Codex standard for abalone. That standard has been adopted by many trading countries. The initial risk assessment was based on information available at the time, sourced primarily from Gymnodinium catenatum blooms. Since then, Alexandrium spp blooms have also occurred in New South Wales and Tasmania causing harvest closures of abalone. This project will assess the ability of Australian abalone to accumulate toxins from Alexandrium species and contaminated feed. In addition, the project will determine the relative risk of PST accumulation in abalone compared to Southern Rock Lobster at two field sites, and validate the efficacy of rapid test kits for PST analysis in abalone foot and viscera tissues.