Management of Aquaculture Production Hazards

288 Pages·2014·15.7 MB·English

NORTHEASTERN U.S.
AQUACULTURE
MANAGEMENT GUIDE
A manual for the identification and
management of aquaculture production hazards
First edition, 2014
United States Department of Agriculture Tessa L. Getchis, Editor
National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NORTHEASTERN U.S.
AQUACULTURE
MANAGEMENT GUIDE
A manual for the identification and
management of aquaculture production hazards
First edition, 2014
United States Department of Agriculture
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Editor
Tessa L. Getchis, Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension, University of Connecticut
Contributors
Deborah Bouchard, University of Maine
David Bushek, Rutgers University
Joseph Buttner, Salem State University
Ryan Carnegie, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Michael Chambers, New Hampshire Sea Grant
Anoushka Concepcion, Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension, University of Connecticut
John Ewart, Delaware Sea Grant, University of Delaware
Ann Faulds, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Pennsylvania State University
Tessa L. Getchis, Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension, University of Connecticut
Gef Flimlin, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Rutgers University
Doris Hicks, Delaware Sea Grant, University of Delaware
Craig Hollingsworth, University of Massachusetts Extension
Jang Kim, University of Connecticut
Andy Lazur, University of Maryland
Dale Leavitt, Roger Williams University
Scott Lindell, Marine Biological Laboratory
Dennis McIntosh, Delaware State University
Diane Murphy, Woods Hole Sea Grant, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Michael Pietrak, University of Maine, Aquaculture Research Institute
Sarah Redmond, University of Maine
Joshua Reitsma, Woods Hole Sea Grant, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Michael Rice, URI Extension, University of Rhode Island
Gregg Rivara, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Roxanna Smolowitz, Roger Williams University
Donald Webster, University of Maryland Extension
Graphic Design
Dean Batteson, Office of Communications, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources,
University of Connecticut
Editorial Assistance
Sandra Shumway and Ronald Tardiff, University of Connecticut
Dedication:
We dedicate this publication to Walt Canzonier, “TSFRHG from Bivalve sur Maurice”. Walt, a stalwart
supporter of the aquaculture industry in the northeastern U.S., encouraged this effort. He envisions
an extension, research, and regulatory community that is more responsive to the needs of the
industry, an industry that is better informed about the risks inherent in the business, and one that is
better able to address and manage production hazards on the farm.
Acknowledgments:
We gratefully acknowledge the following farmers whose experience proved invaluable to this effort:
Charlie Conklin, Paul Dobbins, Betsy Haskin, Rick Karney, George Mathis, George Nardi, Carter
Newell, Jules Opton-Himmel, Dale Parsons, Robert Rheault, James Tweed, John Waylon, and
Lawrence Williams. These farmers shared an immense amount of knowledge in an effort to educate
new entrants to the industry. In addition, several researchers, aquatic animal health professionals,
regulators, and extension professionals participated in workshops and focus groups and provided
valuable feedback on this publication including: Chris Bartlett, Paul Bowser, Michael Brown, Marta
Gomez-Chiarri, David Grunden, Jurij Homziak, Bill Kelleher, John Kraeuter, David McGhie, Jeff
Mercer, Dana Morse, David Noyes, Michael Oesterling, Dina Proestau, Nathan Stone, Marc Turano,
Colby Wells and Charlie Yarish.
Funding
This project was funded through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Northeastern
Regional Aquaculture Center grant #Z540501 to the Northeast Aquaculture Extension Network.
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Preface
Each year, the aquaculture industry experiences significant economic losses as a result of pathogens
that cause disease, pests that render product unmarketable, operational mishaps, adverse weather
events, and closures of harvest areas due to the presence of organisms with the potential to cause
human illness. Collectively, we refer to these as aquaculture production hazards, which present
considerable risk to operations. Massive loss of farmed product and human illness caused from
ingestion of unknowingly contaminated product both adversely impact profitability, trade, and public
perception.
The ability of professionals to respond to problems and assist farmers is often limited by a lack of
farm-level monitoring, record keeping, and farmer knowledge of hazards and hazard management
strategies. Frequently, the causes of mortality events remain unknown or are identified when it is
too late to prevent, control, correct or mitigate. Often, key pieces of information are missing from
farmers’ requests to identify and correct the hazard, limiting the response from the extension and
aquatic health professional community.
To respond to this problem, the Northeast Aquaculture Extension Network (NAEN), a group of
extension professionals from universities and industry associations across the northeastern U.S.,
together with researchers, aquatic animal health professionals, and experienced industry members
has developed this comprehensive publication that identifies strategies to address aquaculture
production hazards. The manual includes science-based information about major production
hazards facing farmers, including: predators, diseases, parasites, organisms that have the potential
to cause aquatic animal illness and human illness (e.g. toxic algae), biofouling, spread of invasive
species, and other operational and environmental hazards. The manual also includes guidelines for
environmental monitoring, evaluation and sampling of stocks, record-keeping procedures, and state-
by-state contact information for whom to call when a problem occurs. The manual incorporates best
management practices and biosecurity measures developed through research and outreach efforts
funded by the USDA Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center (NRAC) and others.
Improved knowledge of hazards associated with aquaculture production is the first step towards
developing or improving risk management strategies. Use of appropriate farm monitoring protocols
and record keeping will help aquatic animal health professionals respond better and more efficiently
to animal illness or mortality events. If the causes of such events are identified quickly and definitively,
future losses may be minimized or prevented, leading to increased production and profitability. The
potential for realized economic benefits is significant; operators who plan proactively to minimize
production hazards may have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
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Table of Contents
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