Important diseases of farmed Barramundi in Asia

With more barramundi being cultured intensively in Asia, extensive epidemiology surveys conducted provide insights into the major diseases. With better understanding of these diseases, industry can look forward to vaccination and other disease management protocols.

The barramundi (also known as the Asian seabass Lates calcarifer) is native to the Indo-Pacific region and is well suited to aquaculture. Although most of the current production is consumed domestically, due to its tasty, firm white flesh, barramundi is rising in popularity as a seafood item in the US and Europe since the late 1990's.

Recently, several large international aquaculture operations have been set up in South East Asia to produce barramundi to take advantage of the suitable growing conditions and lower labour costs. The species is however not without its problems. Diseases are a major concern for the future sustainability of this and indeed any aquaculture industry.

Building upon extensive experience in salmonids, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health established a research center in Singapore in 2000 dedicated to the development of novel vaccines and other products for commercially important farmed warm water species. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.