INTERRELATED ISSUES OF BIOSECURITY IN ROMANIAN FISH PRODCTION FACILITIES

oleh: ISABELLE METAXA

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Agroprint Timisoara 2023-11-01

Deskripsi

Worldwide, aquaculture is the fastest growing agri-industry. Globally, opportunities exist to introduce or explore alternative species, new strains or highly selected stocks that represent substantial appeal to aquaculture. Movement of these products and organisms presents challenges to resolve potential interactions with the native ecology, the transfer of diseases to either freshwater fish culture or wild stocks and the potential transfer of contaminants or pathogens of concern for human food safety. The actual biosecurity culture at the majority Romanian fish farm facilities is one of indifference, denial and avoidance; a true “it won’t happen to me” mentality. The formation and changes of attitudes and behaviors within the environment at a place of business has to be done top-down, from managers to laborers. There are numerous potential sources of entry for an infectious agent into an aquaculture facility. These include additions of new stocks as: embryoned eggs, larvae, fry, juvenile and broodstock. Contaminated water or feed, humans, animals or equipment, and sub clinical (asymptomatic) carriers within the existing stock (production fish or broodstock) might be other sources. General biosecurity measures need to be established for each facility to help support the activities of both disease prevention and disease control. A manual of standard operating procedures should be assembled to provide a set of standard rules for biosecurity measures and disease monitoring. The implementation of a specific biosecurity protocol might change the culture to better suit the aquaculture business and its goals.