An appeal to south-west Victorian ocean users

With the upcoming holiday period almost here Fisheries Victoria is urging divers, anglers, boat operators, surfers and anyone else in the water along Victoria's south-west coastline to observe the abalone biosecurity protocols during their travels to help reduce the risk of the abalone disease, Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis, spreading.

Divers, fishers and boaters are encouraged to:

• wash vessels, wetsuits, dive equipment and hands with soapy freshwater;
• remove all marine organic matter from vessels and equipment; and
• dispose of abalone shell, meat and gut with their household waste and not to use abalone gut as bait.

The disease has no known or likely impacts to human health but by observing the protocols people can help minimise the risk of spreading the disease to unaffected stretches of the coast.

For more information on the disease or protocols visit the?Department of Planning and Infrastructure website or call 136 186 for a free, water-resistant abalone pocket card.