Project 2021-053 | oystersaustralia

building capability in food safety in australian shellfish

BUDGET EXPENDITURE: $316,032

PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Alison Turnbull

ORGANISATION: IMAS - UTAS

PROJECT CODE: 2021-053

PROJECT STATUS: Current

WHY WAS THIS WORK UNDERTAKEN?

The Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (ASQAAC) is a volunteer organisation
comprised of members including state regulators, industry representatives and associated stakeholders
including researchers, Safefish, seafood importers and laboratories. As the program sets the requirements for
market access in Australia through the Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (ASQAP), and
influences industry's ability to grow and further develop our low input, carbon friendly and job intensive
industry. The ASQAP is best practice, and ASQAAC strives to include safe and appropriately innovative and
validated measures to ensure market access is maximised - important for both COVID recovery and future
proofing the national shellfish industry.

There is an on-going need to provide national guidance on ASQAP interpretation and delivery for our industry
that has been highlighted by both the succession needs of the well-established programs in SA, Tas and
NSW, and by the emerging shellfish industries in WA, NT, and Qld. The market failure for systemisation and
training material and continuous improvement stems from the underpinning knowledge of this topic being
niche and highly specialised.

In the words of the ASQAAC Chair Phil Baker: “The last decade has seen the exit of significant knowledge
and history with long-term regulators being replaced with new recruits to the technically complex shellfish
regulatory role. Currently there is little to guide them, particularly as ASQAP has transitioned to an outcome based program. The vital knowledge required is often learned through experience.” This program aims to take advantage of the pool of experts that do exist in Australia, to the benefit of all existing and developing programs.

OBJECTIVES:

Understand the training needs to support the continued development of Australian shellfish industries
covered by ASQAP.
Develop technical training modules for regulators and industry in bivalve shellfish food safety risk
management.
Deliver the training modules in a manner that suits both industry and regulators, and supports learning
from existing Australian experts and adoption of successful risk management strategies.
Provide a pathway for longevity of the training.

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