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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398090
Research Project: Genetic Improvement of North American Atlantic Salmon and the Eastern Oyster for Aquaculture Production

Location: National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center

Title: Infectious Diseases of Coldwater Fish in Fresh Water

Author
item CAIN, KENNETH - University Of Idaho
item Polinski, Mark

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2023
Publication Date: 3/28/2023
Citation: Cain, K.D., Polinski, M.P. 2023. Infectious Diseases of Coldwater Fish in Fresh Water. Book Chapter. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800621640.0003.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800621640.0003

Interpretive Summary: This book provides review material and current state of knowledge for all involved in cage culture of finfish, research scientists, ecologists, fish health consultants, veterinarians, policy makers and all who are interested in fish health and changes to the environment. It is a good reference text for 'workshops on fish health' and academic courses such as aquaculture and fish health.

Technical Abstract: In this chapter, the primary disease problems that affect different life stages of fresh water fish reared in a variety of water sources (ranging from ground water and springs to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs) will be highlighted. This includes diseases that are current problems in fresh water cage culture of coldwater species or that could be potential problems in the future. Diseases impacts and risks can be assumed to translate directly to cage and pen culture in a fresh water environment. Diseases discussed in this chapter occur regularly in coldwater species at approximately 15°C or less and manifest primarily in a fresh water environment. In some cases, the pathogen may be contracted in fresh water but becomes problematic and disease occurs once fish are transferred or migrate to sea water. If the majority of cases are observed in sea water then the reader is referred to the Chapter 2 or other appropriate Chapters. Examples of disease agents that may occur or be transmitted in fresh water but continue to cause problems in sea water are Aeromonas salmonicida (causative agent of furunculosis) and Renibacterium salmoninarum (causing Bacterial Kidney Disease). In some cases a disease may have few reports in fresh water (e.g., salmonid rickettsial septicaemia) or impact coldwater fish to a lesser extent than warmwater species (e.g., columnaris disease), and these will only be briefly discussed in this Chapter.