The Blue Revolution - A veterinary perspective

Transcription

1 The Blue Revolution - A veterinary perspective Jonathan Shepherd HUMBER SEAFOOD SUMMIT

2 Topics covered Economic scale of the problem Prevention of shrimp diseases Salmon health trends in Scotland Comparisons with Norway, Chile & Faroes - lessons learnt Role of supply chains & standards/certification The challenge of introducing area management Conclusions

3 US$6 billion/year losses in global aquaculture Examples FAO claim global aquaculture worth $160 billion p.a. at first hand sale value; they estimate farmed crustaceans worth $36 billion p.a. EMS in Mekong delta shrimp is costing small producers nearly $1 billion/year with new diseases appearing every year Shrimp industry has lost c $10 billion since 1990 s it s virtually uninsurable Mostly small scale, rural aquaculture in developing countries where most problems will go undiagnosed, untreated and undocumented

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5 Shrimp disease prevention A suitable regulatory framework is critical with national & regional biosecurity protocols and robust disease surveillance and diagnosis The transition from wild to domesticated brood stock (esp. vanamei) and SPF seed stock is critical to long term sustainability of shrimp farming Open farming systems are extremely vulnerable to disease outbreaks due to horizontal transmission of viruses from shrimp to shrimp A switch from open water exchange systems to pond aerators is important for farm biosecurity (plus crab fencing, etc.), but this has cost implications Given an inability to vaccinate shrimp, can GM shrimp (e.g. with viral genome) be used to protect the farmed shrimp industry in the future?

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7 Early experiences in Scotland 70s, 80s & 90s Increased veterinary involvement/interest Furunculosis spreads to seawater farm sites The advent of large scale smolt vaccination Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation established* Development of dichlorvos-resistant sea lice The first Farm Management Agreement was signed in 1990/91 Note* CoGP not published till Jan 2006

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10 Lepeopheirus & Caligus spp (Salmon Louse) Adult and Egg sacs

11 Cost of sea lice control The price of lice (i.e. cost of avoidance) = 9% of revenue on average; based on 2012 global salmon production this means control costs = c. $584M Integrated pest management for salmon lice uses different tools as well as direct treatment - (incl. focus on cleaner fish; large smolts/shorter seawater phase) Sea currents transport planktonic lice larvae so coordination of farm activities within Management Areas increasingly used for lice. Models show coordinated management within such areas reduces number of control treatments needed Note that for many other new or less established industries, parasite infection dynamics and threats largely unknown, so new infections can be devastating

12 Sites are open pens in water and may be in close proximity, currents can be strong. So farms interact with their neighbours

13 Local areas for management Farm management areas - 89 Industry defined areas Coordinated activities within FMA Disease management areas - 52 Notifiable disease control e.g. ISA Practical operation when outbreak Many small sea lochs for which the carrying capacity is modelled from nutrient discharge and flushing times Courtesy: Marine Scotland Science; Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation

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15 Farm Management Areas (FMA s) Best practice & FMA s driven forward /defined by industry itself via CoGP Aim is to coordinate activities with neighbouring farms, incl. vaccination; synchronised fallowing as single year class; coordinate sea lice treatment; movements of live fish; harvesting; well boats; information exchange etc. Particular focus on health of fish to be stocked in FMA (e.g. need a VHP/BP which relies on systematic risk assessment of proposed activities for FMA) If more than one company in a FMA, it s recommended they cooperate in developing and implementing a signed Farm Management Agreement

16 Scottish salmon industry today Highly consolidated and regulated industry with a strong trade association and voluntary code. Compliance with code is third party audited; > 90% industry adoption with sanctions for non-compliance All farms must be in FMA s can choose between having individual Farm Management Statement and Farm Management Agreement Sea lice the big issue today, often combined with gill health problems; concerns about transfer between farms and between farms/wild New challenges include: Cleaner fish supply & biosecurity; lack of authorised medicines; risk of emerging new pathogens, etc.

17 3 regions 18 areas >100 zones App sites approved App. 550 sites with fish App cages

18 Zone management developments in Norway FMA s ( zones ) from 2009/10 for sea lice control lice are now the biggest driver on capacity licensing (NFSA: recommending biomass drop for 2016 at some farms where heavy infestation) All zones sign voluntary management agreements on cooperation between farms and neighbouring zones (except 2 companies in Lofoten islands). Industry moving towards single year class sites with synchronised two months fallowing this challenges continuous production, esp. for smaller farms

19 Chile overview Boom 750Kt bust <300Kt boom 846Kt Now more problems! ISA cost $2 billion and 20,000 jobs in Chilean salmon industry; control of Rickettsia is costing Chile c. $700 million per year When companies went bust in 2001, they were taken over instead of going out of business, so production wasn t taken out unlike the consolidation process which occurred in Norway and Scotland Biosecurity can be more sophisticated than UK, but lack of sufficient trust & cooperative approach means rules not always fully respected

20 The Chile recovery an ongoing debate The industry recognizes that it will take more than laws, regulations and improved practices to prevent another disease crisis. The values and attitudes of those involved in the industry are a crucial component of preventing future problems. Cooperation between groups is essential due to the nature of the shared water bodies used by closely interconnected producers (Recovery of Chilean Salmon Industry 2012 World Bank Report) Chile is a country which prizes free competition, so it is difficult to implement a radical overhaul of licences. The path adopted by the government is to carry out rule changes in stages. This has been accepted by the majority of companies, but Marine Harvest hopes that all the changes are carried out immediately (AquaChile, 2016)

21 Algal bloom Chile loses 100,000t = $800M

22 From bust to boom in Faroe Islands 63 small salmon farming companies in year then ISA arrived Practices at that time included no separation of generations; inability to handle high mortalities; crowding of sites, etc. By 2005 only 3 companies remained solvent everyone involved in reorganising farming industry. Adopted a Faroese veterinary model From then on it was a journey from worst to best in class (incl Havsbrun/Bakkafrost vertical integration of fishmeal farming VAP)

23 100 Harvest of farmed fish in Faroe Islands x 1000 live weight

24 Faroese veterinary model One generation farm model Fallowing between each generation Immunisation and vaccination Rules to control sea lice infestation Others: movement restrictions; on-shore brood stock; densities, etc

25 Low mortality High Harvest weight wfe Source: Kontali

26 Summary: salmon overview UK salmon industry limited growth unless offshore; sustainable niche, continuing lice challenge; SSPO & good farm collaboration. Chilean industry grew too quickly; difficult to close stable door ; health-related problems causing boom & bust; cultural issues? Faroes boom to bust due to disease. Took radical action - productivity now best in class. Recovery is possible, esp with consolidated industry Norway strong global leader health problems well managed in main, but sea lice no 1 challenge; optimisation of zones an ongoing process Innovation possibilities, e.g. RAS large smolt; cleaner fish; go offshore

27 Supply chains, standards, and certification Towards compliance with the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code Scottish CoGP: Biosecurity, Veterinary health plans, Risk assessment Best Aquaculture Practice (BAP) salmon farming standards: Health and Welfare provisions 10. Biosecurity and Disease Management Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) salmon standard criterion 5.4 Biosecurity Management Question: Shared MAs can reduce losses and improve performance: is there scope for introducing standards/certification for biosecurity area management to encourage formal coordination by neighbours?

28 Challenges to introducing area management 1. Technological Inadequate supply of SPF replacement stock Shared water source and horizontal transmission Reliance on unsterilized moist feeds 2. Organisational Inadequate regulatory framework and surveillance Absence of aquaculture zoning and carrying capacity basis Inadequate veterinary diagnostic and extension services 3) Economic and social Investment constraints at national and local level (e.g. training) Lack of credit favours continuous harvesting and precludes fallowing Lack of culture of regulatory compliance and/or farm collaboration

29 Conclusions Disease is the no. 1 issue facing the aquaculture industry worldwide Needs collective action between farmers, government, researchers to share information to identify causes and hence solutions Global production success hides lack of focus on reducing losses by tight biosecurity at national & farm level accompanied by government regulation and investment in veterinary services and surveillance Investment in best farm practice encouraged if supply chains demand compliance with 3 rd party certification. Farms working together on area management/biosecurity means better disease control & results

30 Thank you The three keys to profitable aquaculture are survival, feed conversion efficiency, and sales price and the first two depend on fish health I wish to acknowledge comments and photos provided by Ralph Baillie, Iain Berrill, Odd Eliasen, Sandy Murray, Ketil Rykhus, Grant Stentiford, Jimmy Turnbull, and GAA drcjshepherd@aol.com