Fisheries College to start 'Aquatic Medicine'

The degree course is first of its kind in country, says Dean

The College of Fisheries in Mangalore will be introducing a first of its kind degree course in the country called ‘Aquatic Medicine’. Graduates who are trained under this course can prescribe drugs to aquatic animals.

Addressing a press meet, College of Fisheries Biotechnology and Aquaculture Health and Management Dean Dr K M Shankar says that the aquaculture production in the country is growing at 8 per cent annually and it is contributing to more than 50 per cent of the total fish production.

However, due to loss with diseases, health management has become very important in growing aquaculture. The four year course on aquatic medicine will have in detail pharmacology and toxicology in the new BFSc programme. The research and teaching will cover a wide range of aquaculture species such as carps, cat fish, tilapia, ornamental varieties from fresh, brackish and marine water. “This exercise initiated now has a long way to go. It will take at least 10 to 15 years to build up good data and train personnel.

The drugs should comply with the drug regulations in the country. Towards this direction, Ministry of Agriculture, Indian Council for Agriculture Research and State Agriculture Universities have already put in efforts for training fisheries personnel in aquatic medicine,” he informs.

In aquatic medicine, drugs and chemicals have to be evaluated considering biology of species, soil and water chemistry, immunology, endocrinology, breeding, environment and culture practice. Furthermore, aquaculture practices are different in Asia which contributes 80 per cent of world’s aquaculture production, says Shankar.

Speaking about the current scenario, he says that the aquatic medicine is practiced by borrowing information, drugs from human and veterninary medicine. “Copying such information generated on cold water species of Asian region which are different in term of temperature change and culture practice is not appropriate. Therefore there is a need to have a different approach in pharmacology and toxicology,” he says.

Amidst aquaculture animal health, safety of consumers and environment is taking a center stage. Evolution of resistant microbes to chemicals and antibiotics in aquaculture system from domestic and export point of view is also a growing concern, he concludes.