The Role of Aquatic Animal Health Management in Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

The sustainable management of aquatic animals has increasingly become a prerequisite for sustainable fish and shellfish production systems in both capture and culture sectors. Rapidly increasing demands for aquatic foods that are predicted to reach 200 million mt or more annually in 2030, consequently increase pressures on the production system, resulting in greater disease risk for cultivated and wild fishes. The review highlights current evidence base on epidemiology, diagnosis, biosecurity, therapy and governance tools of aquatic health management. Bacterial, viral, parasites, and fungal diseases contribute annually to global aquaculture losses of more than $6 billion, particularly within the low- and middle-income producing countries. There is evidence of increased production and resistance to disease through the application of integrated approaches, including disease monitoring and surveillance, vaccination, probiotics, and judicious antibiotic use. Furthermore, indicators of ecological health, like biodiversity indices and environmental quality management, have emerged as reliable indicators of sanitary integrity. Emerging issues such as impacts of climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and movement of diseases across borders, and the need for harmonization of regulations both nationally and internationally have also been discussed. Conclusions and policy recommendations are given to enhance the One Health approach, improve disease monitoring and surveillance networks, and reinforce integration between science and policy for efficient aquatic health management.