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L’encefalo-retinopatia virale è la patologia maggiormente impattante nell’acquacoltura Mediterranea; può colpire molteplici specie, con focolai particolarmente gravi negli stadi larvali e giovanili di branzino e nelle larve di orata. I progetti europei H2020 PerformFISH and MedAID hanno cercato di fornire nuove conoscenze sulle quali basare strategie di lotta efficaci contro la necrosi nervosa virale.&nbsp

Viralnervousnecrosis(VNN)isthemostimportantviraldiseaseaffectingfarmedfishintheMediterranean.VNNcanaffectmultiplefishspeciesinallproductionphases(broodstock,hatchery,nurseryandongrowing)andsizes,butitisespeciallysevereinlarvaeandjuvenilestages,wherecanitcauseupto100%mortalities.Europeanseabasshasbeenandisstillthemostaffectedspecies,andVNNingiltheadseabreamhasbecomeanemergingprobleminrecentyearsaffectinglarvaeandjuvenilesandassociatedtothepresenceofnewnervousnecrosisvirus(NNV)reassortants.TherelevanceofthisdiseaseasoneofthemainbiologicalhazardsforMediterraneanfinfishfarminghasbeenparticularlyaddressedintworecentH2020projects:PerformFISHandMedAID.ThepresenceofthevirusintheenvironmentandinthefarmingsystemsposesaseriousmenaceforthedevelopmentoftheMediterraneanfinfishaquaculture.SeveralrisksassociatedtotheVNNdevelopmentinfarmshavebeenidentifiedinthedifferentphasesofthefarmingsystem.ThemainrisksconcerningVNNaffectinggiltheadseabreamandEuropeanseabasshavebeenidentifiedasrestockingfromwildfishinbroodstockfacilities,theoriginofeggsandjuveniles,qualitywatersupplyandlivefoodinhatcheriesandnurseries,andinfectedjuvenilesandlocationoffarmsinendemicareasforon‐growingsites.Duetothepotentialsevereimpact,aholisticintegratedmanagementapproachisthebeststrategytocontrolVNNinmarinefishfarms.Thisapproachshouldincludecontinuoussurveillanceandearlyandaccuratediagnosis,essentialforanearlyinterventionwhenanoutbreakoccurs,theimplementationofbiosecurityanddisinfectionproceduresintheproductionsitesandsystematicvaccinationwitheffectivevaccines.Outbreakmanagementpractices,clinicalaspects,diagnostictechniques,anddisinfectionsmethodsarereviewedindetailinthispaper.Additionally,newstrategiesarebecomingmorerelevant,suchastheuseofgeneticresistantlinesandboostingthefishimmunesystemthoughnutrition.&nbsp

Aquaculture Europe 2017 (AE2017), Cooperation for Growth, 17-20 October 2017, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Introduction and Objectives: In the previous EAS congress (2016), the first part of a project dealing with the perceptions towards aquaculture from a value chain approach was presented by Flos et al. (2016) and Escobar et al. (2016). One of the strongest conclusions was the lack of information about the production of farmed fish. Here we present the second part of the project, a Delphi study in order to confirm the perceptions that were previously reached. With the objective to build up a positive image of aquaculture and taken into account the results found, the issue of >farmed fish feeding> was selected as one of the most important myths of aquaculture. Then the specific objectives were the following: 1) to build a sound and readable documentation on farmed fish feeding, 2) to test two different tools to give the information to consumers, in order to establish the better way to communicate the information, 3) to study whether the message could change the perception of consumers in front of the chosen myth, and 4) to provide the sector with documents and tools easily usable for the dissemination. This last objective is the ultimate goal of the project.

Aquaculture is one of the food sectors with a higher potential for growth. The sector incorporates every time a higher level of scientific and technological advances. However, in Spain, consumers’ unawareness about the production and its processes seems to play against the sector.

DOCTOR EN CIENCIAS DE LA INGENIERIA http://sial.fondecyt.cl/index.php/menu/principal FONDECYT FONDECYT

As many other farming activities, aquatic animals and particularly finfish can be affected by several infectious and non-infectious diseases. The specific diseases and pathogens or other causes triggering the development of these diseases, since there are usually multifactorial, can be related to a number of different factors: characteristics of the infectious agents, affected fish species or genetic susceptibility, environment and environmental conditions, geographical parameters, and farming systems amongst others.

Despite the technological progress applied in recent years to the various production phases of Mediterranean Marine Fish Farming (MMFF), from reproduction to nutrition, several welfare and health issues of farmed fish still represent relevant limiting factors for sustainable production. In particular, the attempts to increase and diversify MMFF productions have been often accompanied by the emergence or reoccurrence of transmissible diseases strongly conditioned by management and environmental factors with consequent significant economic losses and repercussions on fish welfare and health parameters. The experience gained in the attempt to control diseases has amply demonstrated that the treatment (when applicable) is often not conclusive, highlighting that the “disease event” is the result of many interacting factors linked to the pathogen, the host and the environment (intended as production system and surrounding ecosystem), which underly the occurrence of disease and influence morbidity and mortality rates. It is evident that an integrated approach is required to prevent and control diseases of farmed fish, which means adopting a holistic view to take into consideration the integrated manner all the different factors involved in the development of a disease and in fish health management. Based on this concept, the project PerformFISH has developed in WP3 an integrated network of research activities aiming to provide the Mediterranean finfish aquaculture with effective tools to prevent, mitigate and control the most relevant diseases of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata).

Despite the technological progress applied in recent years to the various production phases of Mediterranean Marine Fish Farming (MMFF), from reproduction to nutrition, several welfare and health issues of farmed fish still represent relevant limiting factors for sustainable production. In particular, the attempts to increase and diversify MMFF productions have been often accompanied by the emergence or reoccurrence of transmissible diseases strongly conditioned by management and environmental factors with consequent significant economic losses and repercussions on fish welfare and health parameters. The experience gained in the attempt to control diseases has amply demonstrated that the treatment (when applicable) is often not conclusive, highlighting that the “disease event” is the result of many interacting factors linked to the pathogen, the host and the environment (intended as production system and surrounding ecosystem), which underly the occurrence of disease and influence morbidity and mortality rates. It is evident that an integrated approach is required to prevent and control diseases of farmed fish, which means adopting a holistic view to take into consideration the integrated manner all the different factors involved in the development of a disease and in fish health management. Based on this concept, the project PerformFISH has developed in WP3 an integrated network of research activities aiming to provide the Mediterranean finfish aquaculture with effective tools to prevent, mitigate and control the most relevant diseases of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata).

As many other farming activities, aquatic animals and particularly finfish can be affected by several infectious and non-infectious diseases. The specific diseases and pathogens or other causes triggering the development of these diseases, since there are usually multifactorial, can be related to a number of different factors: characteristics of the infectious agents, affected fish species or genetic susceptibility, environment and environmental conditions, geographical parameters, and farming systems amongst others.

Viral nervous necrosis (VNN) is the most important viral disease affecting farmed fish in the Mediterranean. VNN can affect multiple fish species in all production phases (broodstock, hatchery, nursery and ongrowing) and sizes, but it is especially severe in larvae and juvenile stages, where can it cause up to 100% mortalities. European sea bass has been and is still the most affected species, and VNN in gilthead sea bream has become an emerging problem in recent years affecting larvae and juveniles and associated to the presence of new nervous necrosis virus (NNV) reassortants. The relevance of this disease as one of the main biological hazards for Mediterranean finfish farming has been particularly addressed in two recent H2020 projects: PerformFISH and MedAID. The presence of the virus in the environment and in the farming systems poses a serious menace for the development of the Mediterranean finfish aquaculture. Several risks associated to the VNN development in farms have been identified in the different phases of the farming system. The main risks concerning VNN affecting gilthead seabream and European seabass have been identified as restocking from wild fish in broodstock facilities, the origin of eggs and juveniles, quality water supply and live food in hatcheries and nurseries, and infected juveniles and location of farms in endemic areas for on-growing sites. Due to the potential severe impact, a holistic integrated management approach is the best strategy to control VNN in marine fish farms. This approach should include continuous surveillance and early and accurate diagnosis, essential for an early intervention when an outbreak occurs, the implementation of biosecurity and disinfection procedures in the production sites and systematic vaccination with effective vaccines. Outbreak management practices, clinical aspects, diagnostic techniques, and disinfections methods are reviewed in detail in this paper. Additionally, new strategies are becoming more relevant, such as the use of genetic resistant lines and boosting the fish immune system though nutrition.