Health is one of the major issues associated with intensive culture industries, including aquaculture. Unhealthy stock relates to unhealthy industry – higher production costs, reduced viability, poor market and public image. Outbreaks of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) in Scotland resulted in some salmon companies going into receivership. The use of medication increases production costs and negatively impacts on the market.
In Australia, salmon aquaculture is relatively disease free, which provides a possible marketing advantage. However, Amoebic Gill Disease costs are 9.4% of the gross value of production; a significant production cost for farming Atlantic salmon in Tasmania. The disease outbreaks seem to intensify as the industry develops and now are prevalent not only during summer months but also in winter. Outputs of the CRC Health Program such as improved treatment of AGD infected fish, AGD risk forecasting ability and vaccine production against AGD will increase the profitability and competitiveness of the Australian salmon industry.
AGD is severely limiting further expansion of the industry because it ties up resources that could be directed elsewhere, and it limits farming sites due to reliance on freshwater for bathing. Current treatment of AGD while environmentally friendly is not viable in the long-term and alternatives are required. Other treatments may be more reliant on antibiotics or chemicals, a risk to the image of the industry. Although vaccine development can be seen as a high-risk research target the potential rewards justify the risk