Biosecurity planning

Biosecurity planning in aquaculture involves considering your property and biosecurity practises you could put in place to minimise the introduction, establishment and spread of infectious diseases in your facility.

A biosecurity plan should cover the steps you will take when bringing animals onto your property, managing the biosecurity risks already present on your property and the steps you would take when moving animals off your property.

Why have a biosecurity plan?

Poor biosecurity can allow diseases to enter your property and spread, infecting animals and causing loss of stock, money and potentially reputation for your business. Disease pathogens could spread from your property to neighbouring properties, that of your customers, or further afield across the state.

A plan will help you minimise your biosecurity risks. When carefully followed, a biosecurity plan will help you maintain a high standard of animal health.

Your Biosecurity Plan

Developing an aquaculture farm biosecurity plan involves 7 key steps:

1. Consider the need, purpose and legislative requirements for your biosecurity plan
2. Consider your facility and the possible transmission routes: onto, within and off your farm.
3. Determine the major disease hazards for the species you produce.
4. Assess the risk of these hazards entering, establishing or spreading within/from your property.
5. Document mitigation measures to address these risks
6. Implement the plan
7. Track and review your progress

NSW DPI has produced a reference guide and template to help you through this process:

• NSW DPI Primefact 1720: What to include in your Aquaculture Biosecurity Plan (PDF, 389.63 KB)
• Biosecurity plan template for NSW Aquaculture Operators (DOCX, 7038.42 KB)
• Oyster Health & Biosecurity Planning Guidance Material