Abstract
THE ROLE OF WILDLIFE IN THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF AQUATIC ANIMAL DISEASES: A RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE FROM THE EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP ON ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE
Wildlife plays a critical and often underappreciated role in the epidemiology of aquatic animal diseases, influencing the health dynamics of both farmed and wild aquatic populations. Given that the interface between wild and farmed aquatic animals is frequently interconnected, understanding the role of wildlife in the transmission, circulation, and maintenance of pathogens in aquatic environments is essential for a comprehensive understanding of disease ecology. This knowledge is also fundamental for developing appropriate farm management strategies, designing facilities, and implementing water treatment measures to enhance biosecurity in aquaculture operations, as well as improving management practices for wild aquatic populations.
This topic has been identified as a priority within the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAH&W) and is being addressed through a global project focused on surveillance, monitoring systems, and risk assessment for animal health and welfare. The project aims to support the design and harmonization of surveillance and monitoring systems across Europe and encompasses several internal initiatives. Among these is SOA7, Wildlife and Diseases of Aquatic Organisms: A European Perspective.
The overarching objective of SOA7 is to explore and assess the role and impact of aquatic wildlife, particularly organisms inhabiting natural ecosystems in Europe, with an emphasis on the epidemiology of significant diseases affecting farmed fish and shellfish, as well as diseases impacting key species and biodiversity in both freshwater and marine ecosystems, including commercially important fish and shellfish stocks.
Specific objectives of SOA7 include the identification and development of an expert network, the creation of a database and disease heat map, impact assessment and prioritization, risk analysis related to wildlife and aquatic organisms, pathogen identification in relation to disease risk, and modeling the role of wildlife in selected aquatic animal diseases of relevance.
Experts in aquatic animal disease epidemiology and risk assessment are encouraged to contact us and participate in the discussion sessions that will be organized by SOA7 in the coming months.