The Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, College of Fisheries and National Fisheries Development Board will organise a 15-day national training programme on aquatic medicine at the Fisheries College from February 8.
Speaking to media persons, Dean and Course Director Dr K M Shankar said the college has taken the lead in introducing teaching and research in aquatic medicine with the help of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (New Delhi).
The teaching in aquatic medicine-pharmacology, toxicology and chemotherapy or the undergraduate BFSc programme is approved at the national-level by the ICAR from 2016. Development of monoclonal antibodies-based field-level kits for detection of antibiotic residues in fish and research of pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in shrimp are some of the recent efforts of the college in this direction. In addition, there is a need for creating awareness on aquatic medicine among the in-service personnel of the State government and universities in the country. In-service officials and teachers /scientists representing State government and universities of nine states are attending the training programme, he said.
Dr Shankar said microbial diseases are a stumbling block in aquafarming. Annually, India is losing crores of rupees due to diseases in aquaculture. Farmers are using antibiotics, drugs, chemicals, pesticides and their resides in fish is a concern from both fish and consumers’ safety point of view. Antibiotic resistance in human/fish pathogens through aquaculture products is another important dimension. At present, the use of drugs in aquafarming is not regulated properly mainly due to lack of education and research, mode of action and pharmacokinetics of the drugs /antibiotics in these cold blooded vertebrates/invertebrates is entirely different compared to warm blooded vertebrates. This calls for the introduction of aquatic medicine as a new area of venture in fisheries education and research, he said.
Dr Shankar said India produces 10 million tonnes of fish per year. The fish production in the past is mainly from mechanised fishing and aquafarming is contributing only a small portion of the total production. However, in the last two decades, the aquafarming has growing tremendously and is contributing about 54 per cent of total production. Currently, 23 lakh acre is under aquafarming for fish and shellfish production in fresh, brackish and marine waters in India, he explained.
Speaking to media persons, Dean and Course Director Dr K M Shankar said the college has taken the lead in introducing teaching and research in aquatic medicine with the help of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (New Delhi).
The teaching in aquatic medicine-pharmacology, toxicology and chemotherapy or the undergraduate BFSc programme is approved at the national-level by the ICAR from 2016. Development of monoclonal antibodies-based field-level kits for detection of antibiotic residues in fish and research of pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in shrimp are some of the recent efforts of the college in this direction. In addition, there is a need for creating awareness on aquatic medicine among the in-service personnel of the State government and universities in the country. In-service officials and teachers /scientists representing State government and universities of nine states are attending the training programme, he said.
Dr Shankar said microbial diseases are a stumbling block in aquafarming. Annually, India is losing crores of rupees due to diseases in aquaculture. Farmers are using antibiotics, drugs, chemicals, pesticides and their resides in fish is a concern from both fish and consumers’ safety point of view. Antibiotic resistance in human/fish pathogens through aquaculture products is another important dimension. At present, the use of drugs in aquafarming is not regulated properly mainly due to lack of education and research, mode of action and pharmacokinetics of the drugs /antibiotics in these cold blooded vertebrates/invertebrates is entirely different compared to warm blooded vertebrates. This calls for the introduction of aquatic medicine as a new area of venture in fisheries education and research, he said.
Dr Shankar said India produces 10 million tonnes of fish per year. The fish production in the past is mainly from mechanised fishing and aquafarming is contributing only a small portion of the total production. However, in the last two decades, the aquafarming has growing tremendously and is contributing about 54 per cent of total production. Currently, 23 lakh acre is under aquafarming for fish and shellfish production in fresh, brackish and marine waters in India, he explained.