What’s happening in aquaculture in the UK and around the world

CUTTING edge farmer-led disease diagnostics technology could help combat disease outbreaks in fish and shellfish production, saving up to $6bn lost annually across the global aquaculture industry.

The UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is working with governments and industry in the UK and Asia to develop DNA-based diagnostic technology linked to data reporting by smartphone.

This can be used by local famers to rapidly detect potentially devastating diseases, such as white spot syndrome virus (WSSV).

Cefas is leading field trials in Thailand, where diseases such as WSSV and other emergent problems like early mortality syndrome have led to a halving of annual yield and profit (amounting to $2bn) in the shrimp industry.

It is hoped that this revolutionary approach will ensure that early detection enables faster management of infection and disease and more effective control of outbreaks.

Grant Stentiford of Cefas, said: ‘Decentralised diagnostics combined with technology driven field reporting has the ability to bridge the significant knowledge gap between farmers, scientists, aquatic health professionals, and policy makers at national, regional and global levels.’

The results of the field trials in Thailand during 2015 and 2016 will enable Cefas and partners to further develop this new technology, which is hoped to be available to industry from 2017.