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Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires"

Training in fish disease diagnostics and fish health management

ABSTRACT

South Africa is intensifying its efforts in establishing small scale aquaculture facilities as a mean to increase the income of farmers in rural areas.
Knowledge on fish diseases, fish health management and diagnostic skills are of particular importance for successful aquaculture. However, countries in Southern Africa currently lack expertise and training opportunities in these fields of expertise.
Recognizing the importance of health management for the successful implementation and development of aquaculture, the Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FiWi), Vetsuisse faculty, University of Bern and the Division of Aquaculture, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, have established active collaboration in the field of fish disease diagnostics. Collaboration started with a RFPP project¹, which provided a survey on the status of fish diseases in South Africa. This was followed by a training for researchers, students and veterinarians at Stellenbosch University in September 2005².
High quality training of fish health specialists is crucial to successfully develop sustainable aquaculture production. The training has to be “hands-on” and include laboratory techniques as well as practical on-site approaches to be effective.
Purpose of the training stay:
The training stay aims for an intensive introduction into the various aspects of both fish disease diagnostics and fish health management. Therefore, the training stay of four weeks of Danica Resoort (BSc.) will include two complementary parts:

training at the FiWi in diagnostic technologies: This part will provide an introduction into parasitological, bacteriological, virological, histo(patho)logical and molecular techniques used in the diagnosis of fish diseases.
training in practical fish health service. This part will be provided by Dr. Ralph Knüsel who routinely performs on-site fish health diagnostics for the fish farmers in Switzerland. Training contents will include problem-based approaches sampling strategy for further analysis in the laboratory; prevention measures and treatment possibilities in different fish farm set ups.

¹ “Development and implementation of an Aquaculture Health Management Plan in support of the Small Scale Fish Farming Programme in rural communities of South Africa” (2003-2005). This two-year project was supported by the Research Fellow Partnership Programme (RFPP) of the Centre for International Agriculture (ZIL), Zurich.

² “Fish diseases and fish health management in Southern Africa”. September 2005, supported by KFPE.

Contacts:

Dr. Danie Brink
Division of Aquaculture
Department of Genetics
University of Stellenbosch
Private Bag X1
7602 Matieland, Stellenbosch
South Africa
db@sun.ac.za

Dr. Ralph Knüsel, Dr. Thomas Wahli and Prof Helmut Segner
Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FiWi)
Institute of Animal Pathology
Vetsuisse Faculty
Laenggass-Str. 122
P.O. Box 8466
CH-3001 Bern
ralph.knuesel@itpa.unibe.ch


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		Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires" Training in fish disease diagnostics and fish health management ABSTRACT South Africa is intensifying its efforts in establishing small scale aquaculture facilities as a mean to increase the income of farmers in rural areas. Knowledge on fish diseases, fish health management and diagnostic skills are of particular importance for successful aquaculture. However, countries in Southern Africa currently lack expertise and training opportunities in these fields of expertise. Recognizing the importance of health management for the successful implementation and development of aquaculture, the Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FiWi), Vetsuisse faculty, University of Bern and the Division of Aquaculture, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, have established active collaboration in the field of fish disease diagnostics. Collaboration started with a RFPP project¹, which provided a survey on the status of fish diseases in South Africa. This was followed by a training for researchers, students and veterinarians at Stellenbosch University in September 2005². High quality training of fish health specialists is crucial to successfully develop sustainable aquaculture production. The training has to be “hands-on” and include laboratory techniques as well as practical on-site approaches to be effective. Purpose of the training stay: The training stay aims for an intensive introduction into the various aspects of both fish disease diagnostics and fish health management. Therefore, the training stay of four weeks of Danica Resoort (BSc.) will include two complementary parts: training at the FiWi in diagnostic technologies: This part will provide an introduction into parasitological, bacteriological, virological, histo(patho)logical and molecular techniques used in the diagnosis of fish diseases. training in practical fish health service. This part will be provided by Dr. Ralph Knüsel who routinely performs on-site fish health diagnostics for the fish farmers in Switzerland. Training contents will include problem-based approaches sampling strategy for further analysis in the laboratory; prevention measures and treatment possibilities in different fish farm set ups. ¹ “Development and implementation of an Aquaculture Health Management Plan in support of the Small Scale Fish Farming Programme in rural communities of South Africa” (2003-2005). This two-year project was supported by the Research Fellow Partnership Programme (RFPP) of the Centre for International Agriculture (ZIL), Zurich. ² “Fish diseases and fish health management in Southern Africa”. September 2005, supported by KFPE. Contacts: Dr. Danie Brink Division of Aquaculture Department of Genetics University of Stellenbosch Private Bag X1 7602 Matieland, Stellenbosch South Africa db@sun.ac.za Dr. Ralph Knüsel, Dr. Thomas Wahli and Prof Helmut Segner Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FiWi) Institute of Animal Pathology Vetsuisse Faculty Laenggass-Str. 122 P.O. Box 8466 CH-3001 Bern ralph.knuesel@itpa.unibe.ch