1. History of Fish Health Management
Management practices designed to prevent fish disease episodes in confined or free ranging fish populations.
Aquaculture:
The art and science of rearing aquatic organisms (finfish, shellfish, aquatic reptiles, amphibians, and plants) under controlled conditions.

2. History of Fish Health Management
The occurrence of disease in fish was known prior to 1900’s but was of no practical significance
Advancement in knowledge is directly related to development of intensive aquaculture
North America – development associated with AFS
Developed separately from health sciences of other animal groups

3. History of Fish Health Management
Requires much different approach than terrestrial animals
Environmental factors (Aquatic)
Must have knowledge of environment and animal to effectively manage around/diagnose disease

4. History of Fish Health Management
Early reports related to fish disease (very little)
Aristotle (330 BC)
Discussed a crustacean parasite of tuna and swordfish
Lake Geneva Switzerland (1867)
Reports of disease (typhus) in fish
Yellow discharge from vent (probably due to lack of food)

5. History of Fish Health - Disease in Salmon and Eels (1868)
“Pestis salmonum” or “Pestis rubra anguillarum”
- Disease now known as vibriosis
Furunculosis (1896)
Cultured trout in Germany
“Bacterium salmonicida”
First referenced in US in 1902
Very serious disease

6. History of Fish Health Furunculosis committee (1928) – Great Britain
Set up to help combat disease
Increased interest in other diseases of fish
Made people aware – Research began to investigate pathological changes in fish due to disease (1930’s to 1950’s)
Disease agent characterization
Most research done as a hobby not profession

7. History of Fish Health Fish culturists
Became aware of the relationship to fish health and stocking in troughs, raceways and ponds
Not all diseases were infectious
Began to disinfect equipment
Was a learning process
Toxic substances
Advent of insecticides/herbicides
Causes fish health and environmental problems

8. History of Fish Health 1947 to 1960 Rapid progress
Advances in nutrition
Development of antibiotic/chemical therapy for fish disease control
better disinfectants
Viral diseases of fish discovered
IPN (1960)
implications for control/spread of pathogens

9. History of Fish Health Fish importation/transportation (’60s and ’70s)
Moved fish and eggs everywhere
Fish health specialists advocated control of the movements of fish/fish eggs
AFS
formed Fish Disease Committee (FDC) in
developed to examine disease problems among fish

10. History of Fish Health FDC promoted restrictions fish movement
developed USFWS Title 50 – this restricted movement of certain food or sport fishes (1969)
Fish movement now only allowed for certified pathogen free fish (Board certified fish pathologists)
Ornamental fish still remain free of such restrictions
FDC replaced by Fish Health Section of AFS in 1972

11. History of Fish Health Current Status made great progress
still much to do to bring up to the level of knowledge for other animals
Future needs
more work needed in control of disease in aquaculture and for wild populations
research on Epizootiology
more work on pathological processes
fish immunology – disease prevention
nutrition and genetics
disease diagnostics