Aquatic Animal Health Research Priorities Highlighted Globally
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the STAR IDAZ International Research Consortium (IRC) have published three new reports outlining research priorities for crustacean, mollusc, and amphibian health worldwide.
These reports are the result of a global consultation on aquaculture health research, which was distributed to 440 experts and stakeholders worldwide, including WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Focal Points, WOAH Reference Centres, researchers, and other specialists involved in aquatic animal health.
The global consultation aimed to identify priority areas for research and development of effective solutions for aquatic animal health. The reports provide guidance for future research investments and international collaboration to strengthen aquatic animal health and support sustainable aquaculture development.
The reports highlight several common priorities across the three areas of research, including improving the understanding and control of high-impact and emerging diseases, developing affordable and field-adapted diagnostic tools, strengthening biosecurity measures, and identifying alternatives to antimicrobial use, including vaccines.
The findings also emphasize the importance of developing practical and accessible solutions that can be implemented across diverse production settings and geographical regions. They highlight opportunities for enhanced international collaboration to address shared challenges and accelerate the development of effective disease prevention and control strategies.
Common Research Priorities
The reports integrate the collaborative discussions on finfish initiated during the WOAH-STAR IDAZ Advancing Aquaculture Health Research workshop and contribute to ongoing efforts to identify knowledge gaps and align research activities at the global level.
The findings support the implementation of the WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Strategy and provide valuable guidance for researchers, funding organisations, policy-makers, and other stakeholders working to strengthen aquatic animal health and promote sustainable aquaculture development worldwide.
WOAH and STAR IDAZ thank all experts who participated in the consultation and shared their knowledge and experience. Their contributions were essential in developing a globally relevant assessment of aquatic animal health research priorities.
The reports are available through the WOAH Documentary Portal and the STAR IDAZ Aquatic Diseases Priority Topic webpage.
WOAH and STAR IDAZ also acknowledge the support of their partners and sponsors, including the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the European Commission, DISCONTOOLS, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI), GALVmed, and the Gates Foundation.
The reports are a valuable resource for anyone working in the field of aquatic animal health and will contribute to the development of effective solutions for the sector.
