Status of biosecurity in commercial aqua farms in Mymensingh and Jashore districts

Abstract

Proper biosecurity practices are vital to maintain healthy fish stock in an aqua farm. Biosecurity
issues in commercial aqua farms in Bangladesh are not well understood yet and the term is quite new to the
farmers. In order to provide baseline information on the status of biosecurity in commercial aqua farms,
questionnaire interview was carried out with 100 fish farmers in Mymensingh and Jashore districts. The
status of biosecurity was evaluated through some set criteria like farm protection, management of fish seed,
feed, water and sanitation and disinfection systems. The overall biosecurity status of the study areas was quite
satisfactory. Most of the farmers used deep tube-well water in their farms, majority of them (84%) dried nets
before using, their feed storage condition and monitoring was quite satisfactory. Farmers controlled pest by
covering their ponds by polythene and nets. Some poor biosecurity measures that were evidenced in the study
areas included poor fencing and farm boundary, use of foot bath facilities (7%) and use of protective clothing
by farm personnel (3%). Only few farms had restriction on visitors (11%). The most common clinical sign of
disease in fishes included ventral reddening, fin rot, reddish lesion and ulcerative lesion in the study areas.
Farmers never confirmed these disease outbreaks in laboratory. The present study revealed that the
biosecurity problems in commercial aqua farms existed and it is thus recommended that emphasis should be
given to train farmers about measures and practices related to aqua farm biosecurity