“Sea Change: A Marine Knowledge, Research & Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007-2013” outlines the Marine Institute's research strategy for Ireland in the coming years, including fish and shellfish health. In collaboration with both national and international third level institutes and the Irish aquaculture industry, the Fish Health Unit (FHU) is actively involved in promoting research. Past and present projects include:
- Field investigations on pancreas disease in farmed Atlantic salmon,
- Involvement in the Tri-Nation (Ireland, Scotland & Norway) working group on pancreas disease.
- GILPAT: an investigation into gill pathologies in marine reared finfish in Ireland.
- Epidemiology of disease outbreaks in Ireland (PD, IPN, Bonamia, Oyster herpesvirus).
- Development and comparison of diagnostic techniques for new and emerging disease pathogens.
- Latency in koi herpesvirus infections.
- Screening of wild fish for pathogens.
- Determination of epidemiological cut-off values for the investigation of antimicrobial resistance of aquatic bacteria e.g. Aeromonas salmonicida.
The Tri-Nation Pancreas Disease Consortium
The Tri-Nation Consortium was established in 2005 with research and industry alliances from Ireland, Scotland and Norway and has also included experts from France, England and Germany. The aim of the consortium is to share knowledge, results and experiences on PD and similar pathologies (sleeping disease, heart & skeletal muscle inflammation, cardiomyopathy syndrome), with the aim of accelerating research and progress in the development of specific mitigation strategies.
The 10th Tri-Nation PD(+) seminar has held in Bergen on 14 - 15 April 2010, supported by the National Veterinary Institute, Norway and Marine Harvest. Presentations given at the seminar can be downloaded below;