Aquaculture America 2023

February 23 - 26, 2023

New Orleans, Louisiana USA

USING A NEW DATABASE TO ENHANCE FISH HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Robert Durborow*, Vincent Teye, Tyler McKay, Stephen Atkinson, John Kelso, and Tifani Watson McKay

Kentucky State University Aquaculture Research Center                                                     
103 Athletic Road                                                                                                                                             
Frankfort, KY 40601                                                                                                                      
robert.durborow@kysu.edu

 



A digitized Mobile Responsive Clinical Fish Health Database (for computers and mobile devices) completed in April 2022 enables more accurate disease case record-keeping and timely identification and remediation of fish pathogens by fish health professionals, enhancing the effectiveness of fish health services to the aquaculture industry. Several fish disease diagnostic laboratories will enter their historic and current fish disease diagnostic data into the Database and will provide beta-testing feedback in a survey designed to improve the effectiveness of the Database. Laboratories doing beta testing will include the Kentucky State University Fish Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, itself, and approximately 40 other similar laboratories (both public and private). The Database facilitates data mining for risk assessment and epidemiological studies, including analyses of data from all cases diagnosed by a particular laboratory, by multiple labs within a state, by labs in a multi-state area, and by farmers wanting to track diseases over time on their own farm. The Database also serves as a reference source and teaching tool for fish disease diagnosticians and students.