The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Health Centers (USFWS FHCs) operate as part of the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program to provide aquatic animal health services and information that contribute to health, survival, restoration and enhancement of fish and other aquatic species in support of national and regional priorities. Centers collaborate with partners to provide diagnostics, monitoring, investigations, certifications and training related to free-ranging and cultured populations. Centers coordinate the Wild Fish Health Survey and address emerging pathogen concerns through applied research and innovative management strategies. Work at the FHC directly has applications for the conservation of natural resources and the aquaculture industry, generally.
The USFWS operates six FHCs and one Fish Health Program across the nation. Each of Center is an individual diagnostic laboratory capable of supporting the health of hatchery-reared fish, monitoring the health in wild aquatic animal populations, including early detection and surveillance of aquatic invasive species, including New Zealand mudsnails, zebra mussels, and Invasive Carp, and helping conduct aquatic animal health investigations.
The FHCs works with federal, State and Tribal partners to ensure that aquatic animals cultured across the nation are healthy and can be moved across the nation safely. Data collected at FHCs is being used to attest to the health status of wild fish and species maintained to supplement listed and endangered species.
E xamples of how the FHCs serve the interests of conservation of natural resources and/or non-commercial aquaculture will be presented : A study on thiamin deficiency in free-ranging Pacific salmon returning to hat cheries in Idaho and Washington and methods used to supplement some salmon broodfish with thiamin to improve juvenile survival of wild and hatchery-origin fish; A FHC study to develop non-lethal sampling methods for the detection of pathogens on Atlantic Salmon ; A pilot project developing methods for the use of somatic (diploid) cells collected from threatened/endangered fish species for rapid diagnostic, detect and monitor emerging aquatic animal pathogens, as well as improving existing pathogen detection method; An investigation of the health of freshwater mussels, that investigates unionid mussel mortality events for etiological agents ; A study how to prevent pathogenesis in the endangered Wyoming toad.