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Integrated commercial data to empower salmon industry

Changing traditional models of research to build a lasting data asset for the salmon industry

Research context

Diseases such as SRS and Caligus contribute substantially to the costs of salmonid fish production in Chile. In addition, concerns about product quality and antimicrobial usage decrease the price of Chilean salmon in international markets.

  • SRS and Caligus have a substantial impact on the profitability and sustainability of the Chilean salmon industry
  • SRS accounts for ~75% of infectious causes of mortality
  • Disease significantly increases the costs of production
  • Widespread concern about the use of antibiotics

Project overview

There is a strong desire on the part of the industry and Chilean Government to improve the control of diseases in the aquaculture industry.

This project aimed to identify and describe risk factors for SRS and Caligus in the Chilean aquaculture industry and assess the effectiveness of specified interventions such as vaccine efficacy or smolt quality, for example. It was applied research, focussed on providing innovative, feasible and practical solutions that would aid in the management of these and other diseases.

Components

Engagement and collaboration with industry

Partnership with aquaculture companies and collaboration with other researchers was an essential part of this project. Through consultations and workshops, stakeholders had the opportunity to be involved at every stage of the project: from refining the research questions to be addressed, to approaches to data analysis and interpretation of results. Meetings, newsletters and publications facilitated coordination and promoted dissemination of the research findings. Over

Retrospective analysis using existing government data

The retrospective study identified and quantified risk and protective factors for SRS and Caligus based on existing data. It used regulatory data available in the SIFA and INFA databases, a substantial but underutilised resource which had already been collected by Sernapesca on behalf of industry.

Develop a research platform to manage shared industry data as a sustainable asset for the industry : PIISAC

The research platform developed was a highly secure, powerful, web-based platform used to integrate all relevant company and other data. It included analytical capability to support the prospective study, as well as providing a resource for future research by other authorised researchers. The research platform was built using the Omnisyan data integration and analysis framework and provided high levels of confidentiality and security, and was based on an existing framework already used in other countries and industries. It provided a highly efficient means of acquiring the data necessary to address numerous research questions.

Prospective studies to test specific interventions using industry data

The prospective studies provided the opportunity to assess the efficacy of various interventions (treatment and management) for SRS and Caligus, and refine our understanding of risk and protective factors. It took advantage of detailed, disaggregated, cage-level data and other risk factor data not available in the regulatory databases. This was achieved by using comprehensive whole-of-industry data managed by the integrated research platform.

Outputs

The outcomes of this research programme included;

  • baseline descriptions of SRS and Caligus disease impact, estimation and standardisation of key biological parameters
  • identification of risk and protective factors for Caligus and SRS
  • risk models that allow the impact of different interventions or management strategies to be evaluated, taking all other identified factors into account
  • analysis of spatial and neighbourhood factors that may provide a basis for the refinement of barrio boundaries and re-development of synchronised treatment strategies
  • evaluation of the effectiveness of three specific interventions.

Scientific publications

Happold, Jonathan, Anne Meyer, Rohan Sadler, Brendan Cowled, Catriona Mackenzie, Mark Stevenson, Michael P. Ward, Alicia L. Gallardo Lagno, and Angus Cameron. “Effectiveness of Antimicrobial Treatment of Salmonid Rickettsial Septicaemia in Commercial Salmon and Trout Farms in Chile.” Aquaculture 525 (August 2020): 735323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735323.

Happold, Jonathan, Rohan Sadler, Anne Meyer, Alison Hillman, Brendan Cowled, Catriona Mackenzie, Alicia L. Gallardo Lagno, and Angus Cameron. “Effectiveness of Vaccination for the Control of Salmonid Rickettsial Septicaemia in Commercial Salmon and Trout Farms in Chile.” Aquaculture 520 (April 2020): 734968. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.734968.

Hillman, Alison E., Emma J. Zalcman, Amy L. Burroughs, Anne Meyer, Rohan J. Sadler, Ben Madin, Catriona Mackenzie, et al. “Use of Regulatory Data to Describe and Identify Risk Factors for Salmonid Rickettsial Septicaemia in Chile, 2011–2017.” Aquaculture 526 (September 15, 2020): 735324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735324.

“Hillman et Al_2020_Use of Regulatory Data to Describe and Identify Risk Factors for Salmonid.Pdf,” n.d.

Meyer, Anne, Melanie Bannister-Tyrrell, Catriona Mackenzie, Arjan Stegeman, and Angus Cameron. “Barriers to the Adoption of a Fish Health Data Integration Initiative in the Chilean Salmonid Production.” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 179 (December 1, 2020): 105853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2020.105853.

Meyer, Anne, Amy Burroughs, Rohan Sadler, Jonathan Happold, Brendan Cowled, Catriona Mackenzie, Alicia L. Gallardo Lagno, and Angus Cameron. “Quantifying the Effects of Sea Lice Burden and Lice Bathing Treatments on Salmonid Rickettsial Septicaemia in Commercial Salmon and Trout Farms in Chile.” Aquaculture 513 (November 2019): 734411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2019.734411.

Meyer, Anne, Rohan Sadler, Melanie Bannister-Tyrrell, Alicia L. Gallardo Lagno, Arjan Stegeman, and Angus Cameron. “Is Between-Farm Water-Borne Pathogen Dissemination an Important Driver in the Epidemiology of Salmonid Rickettsial Septicaemia in Chile?” Aquaculture 530 (January 15, 2021): 735751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735751.

Zalcman, Emma, Amy Burroughs, Anne Meyer, Alison Hillman, Rohan Sadler, Ben Madin, Catriona Mackenzie, et al. “Sea Lice Infestation of Salmonids in Chile between 2011 and 2017: Use of Regulatory Data to Describe Characteristics and Identify Risk Factors.” Aquaculture 530 (January 15, 2021): 735752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735752.

“Zalcman et Al_2021_Sea Lice Infestation of Salmonids in Chile between 2011 and 2017.Pdf.” Accessed September 7, 2020.