Biosecurity status in some commercial aquafarms of Kishoreganj and Mymensingh districts

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the present biosecurity status in some commercial aquafarms
of selected Upazila under Kishoreganj and Mymensingh districts of Bangladesh. A total of 30 fish farms from
Kishoreganj and Mymensingh district were surveyed. Data were collected through questionnaire interview
and participatory rural appraisal tools like focus group discussion. The results showed that majority of the
farmers did not have good understanding of biosecurity procedure. Biosecurity measures such as sprays and
footbath facility, sanitary latrine, showers, disinfection of transport equipment, providing protective clothing
for visitors and quarantine facilities were totally absent in both districts. However, 80% of the farms did not
have scope for pollutant entrance and most of the farmers used ground water sources. Additionally, they took
protection against fish stealing (80%), stocked disease free fry (100%), removed bottom waste and dried
culture ponds after two or three production cycle (66.67%) and measured water quality parameters (53.33%)
on monthly basis. Other biosecurity measures such as restriction of visitor's movement, control rodents and
insects in feed storage, keeping domestic animals confined to the farm, water exchange in the pond,
controlling predator in farm and disinfection of equipment used for culture operation. The collected data
would be used as the preliminary study record and for further improvement of the overall biosecurity status.