Advancing Aquaculture Health Research

A workshop to identify the highest-priority research areas for finfish diseases

The aquaculture scientific community and funders came together earlier this year to identify the highest-priority areas for research that will provide lasting benefits for the global management of aquatic animal diseases, particularly those that will impact international standards.

WOAH and  STAR IDAZ International Research Consortium on Animal Health jointly convened the workshop ‘Advancing Aquaculture Health Research’ at WOAH Headquarters in Paris last February. As part of the WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Strategy 2021–2025, this event brought together more than forty international experts and funders to identify and prioritise key research areas for finfish health to improve aquatic disease management worldwide. WOAH Director General Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran opened the workshop with a speech underscoring the significance of international collaboration in addressing aquatic animal health challenges.

Finfish Health Challenges and Research Synergies

The first sessions addressed critical challenges in finfish health, guided by insights from a global online pre-workshop consultation in which 184 responses were received from 89 countries.

This was followed by presentations from several members of the WOAH Reference and Collaborating Centres, Aquatic Animal Health Commission and additional international experts, who shared their technical perspectives on key challenges in aquaculture. These included data gaps, environmental drivers of disease emergence, fish welfare management, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and biosecurity from a One Health perspective.

In the second session, both global and regional research efforts in finfish health were showcased. Presentations highlighted funding priorities from international agencies, the International Development Research Centre’s InnoVet-AMR research programme, Worldfish projects, the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare and the Gates Foundation’s Aquaculture Programme, fostering awareness and potential synergies among participants.

Focus on Research Priorities

The workshop featured three interactive sessions using the World Café format to facilitate in-depth discussions on the following research needs:

Control Strategies: Participants identified impactful diseases affecting major finfish species in both freshwater and saltwater environments, emphasising short-term and long-term research needs for effective control measures.

Diagnostics: Discussions focused on advancing diagnostic tools and methodologies for the early detection and management of finfish diseases.

Vaccines and Therapeutics: Attendees explored innovative approaches to vaccine development and therapeutic interventions, aiming to enhance disease prevention and treatment in aquaculture settings while limiting AMR.

Collaborative Efforts and Future Directions

The final panel discussion highlighted the importance of collaboration among researchers, funders and industry stakeholders to translate identified research priorities into actionable projects to develop solutions to improve finfish health management.

Setting the Stage for Sustainable and Resilient Aquatic Animal Health

The ‘Advancing Aquaculture Health Research’ workshop in Paris, fostered international collaboration and identified priority research areas, setting the stage for impactful research efforts aimed at ensuring the sustainability and resilience of the aquaculture industry. The workshop report and related policy brief, including the highest priority research areas for finfish health, are available online for further consultation.

More information

WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Strategy 2021–2025

Advancing Aquaculture Health Research Workshop Report

Highest Priority Research Areas for Finfish Health Policy Brief

Aquaculture Health Research Survey, Report of the Pre-workshop Global Consultation on Aquaculture Research Priorities, Finfish Section

Workshop Agenda and Programme

Contact: Dr Valeria Mariano ([email protected]), Research Coordinator, STAR IDAZ, WOAH Science Department