Objective

• To assess the risks and impacts of exotic fish species
• To develop strategies and techniques for diagnosis, control and prevention of infectious aquatic animal diseases.

Thrust Areas

• Risk assessment for decision making and management of exotic species in the country
• Development of molecular diagnostic techniques for important fish pathogens
• Research on prophylactic and therapeutic measures for fish health management.

Salient Achievements

1. National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Exotics and Quarantine’ and ‘Aquatic Exotics and Quarantine Guidelines’ developed to regulate the introduction of exotics in the country
2. Species-specific guidelines for import of tilapia, sutchi catfish, ornamental fish and white shrimp developed
3. Simple and generic reproductive containment protocols for common carp and tilapia developed
4. Generated data on distribution of alien fish species in various drainages and impacts of 14 species were quantified using developed risk assessment process and protocols (FIST)
5. Bibliographic Databases on Fish Pathogens and Diseases as well as Aquatic Species Introduction in the country, Indian Fish Pathologists’ Directory and Alien Fishes and Quarantine Information System developed
6. Molecular techniques for detection of OIE-listed pathogens such as Aphanomyces invadans, koi herpes virus, yellowhead virus and taura syndrome virus developed
7. Cell lines developed from tropical fishes such as Etroplus suratensis, Cyprinus carpio and Labeo rohita
8. Important aquatic microbes such as Flavobacterium, Aeromonas and Aphanomyces invadans being maintained in the repository
9. Monoclonal antibodies produced against serum immunoglobulins of Labeo rohita and Channa striatus