Page 18 - Abstract Book ICOH4

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Improving the Health of Wild, Feral, and Captive Fisheries in the Great Lakes Basin of North
America Through Collaborative Research

Thomas P. Loch

Michigan State University - Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, Aquatic Animal Disease Ecology Program,
Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife (College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) and Pathobiology
& Diagnostic Investigation (College of Veterinary Medicine), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI,
USA

Abstract

Aquatic ecosystems are irreplaceable constituents of our planet, housing tremendous biodiversity
and serving as the “lungs” with which our planet breathes. Unfortunately, these invaluable natural
resources, and particularly the fish fauna, are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities and
global climate change. Further compounding the peril that many aquatic organisms currently face is the
emergence of pathogenic microbes that cause disease outbreaks and lead to negative effects at the
population and community levels. Consequently, some have forecasted that by 2050, harvests from wild
fisheries will be significantly reduced and nearly all fish and shellfish for human consumption will come
from aquaculture. However, high densities and artificial conditions place farmed fish at risk for infectious
disease outbreaks, whereby fish pathogenic microbes are a primary impediment to aquaculture
productivity. Infectious diseases also pose major threats to conservation and stock enhancement efforts
that rely upon collecting gametes from wild fish stocks and rearing of progeny in governmental hatcheries
until they reach an age and status that allows for the highest likelihood of survival when stocked into
public waters. To address and overcome these challenges, strong collaborative multidisciplinary
networks of scientists, managers, policy- and decision-makers, and others are of paramount
importance. Herein, the perspectives and collaborative approaches being utilized to ensure and improve
the health of wild, feral, and captive fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin of North America will be
discussed.

TH
THE 4 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ONE HEALTH (ICOH)

“Strengthening Collaboration in One Health Systems”