Pilchard herpesvirus causes mass sardine deaths

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has confirmed laboratory sequencing has detected pilchard herpesvirus genetic material in sardines sampled off the West Coast following recent mass mortalities.

Scientists are now investigating whether environmental stressors such as harmful algae, low oxygen or unusual oceanographic conditions triggered the event, with a task team being established with industry stakeholders.

For more on this we are joined by Fisheries Scientist at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Janet Coetzee.


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