Belfast meeting focuses on fish health
09 November, 2007 -
FISH health issues were on the agenda at a recent meeting of the Fish Veterinary Society, held in Northern Ireland.
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) hosted the meeting at its AFBI Stormont, Veterinary Sciences Division laboratories in Belfast.
A broad range of topics was covered including treatment and control of lice on salmon, nutrition, stress management, the threat of emerging parasitic diseases to wild fish, koi herpesvirus and pancreas disease, and similar conditions in salmon and trout.
Northern Ireland has enjoyed a high health status, and the region is recognised by the European Union as an approved zone for several important diseases of fish. On the basis of this healthy status, the European Union has awarded additional guarantees to Northern Ireland to prevent the introduction of major infectious diseases of fish present elsewhere in the EU.
AFBI’s Veterinary Sciences Division carries out statutory testing and surveillance health monitoring of fish and shellfish farms in Northern Ireland to help maintain their high health status. It provides a diagnostic service to fish and shellfish farmers, and participates in research programmes on fish diseases. AFBI scientists were first to identify salmonid alphavirus as the cause of serious disease outbreaks in farmed salmon and trout, and continue to be at the forefront of research associated with this economically important virus.
The Fish Veterinary Society is a specialist division of the British Veterinary Association and provides a forum for veterinary surgeons and other aquaculture health professionals to meet and exchange information. Members come from a wide range of backgrounds, including private veterinary practice, fish farming, feed companies, universities, pharmaceutical companies and government.
www.fishfarmer-magazine.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publishes FISHupdate.com, FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.
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