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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #363379
Research Project: Pathogen Characterization, Host Immune Response and Development of Strategies to Reduce Losses to Disease in Aquaculture

Location: Aquatic Animal Health Research

Title: The intersection of virulent Aeromonas hydrophila and fish-eating bird harassment programs on commercial catfish farms

Author
item ROY, LUKE - Auburn University
item HEMSTREET, BILL - Auburn University
item VEUM, LEAH - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item Bader, Troy

Submitted to: Fish Farming News
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2019
Publication Date: 4/15/2019
Citation: Roy, L., Hemstreet, B., Veum, L.M., Bader, T.J. 2019. The intersection of virulent Aeromonas hydrophila and fish-eating bird harassment programs on commercial catfish farms. Fish Farming News. Issue 01:2-3.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In 2018 there were 3.5 million pounds of catfish lost to virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (vAh) in West Alabama. These episodes of disease translated to large economic losses for Alabama catfish producers as has been the trend for the last decade since the emergence of this particularly problematic pathogen. While our basic understanding of vAh has improved, management of this disease at the farm level still presents unique challenges for commercial producers. The presence of fish-eating birds on catfish farms is a problem all commercial producers face. since there is a real potential for fish-eating birds to spread vAh from one pond to another during an outbreak, commercial producers can actively harass birds from ponds experiencing an outbreak.