Fishery scientists and experts from India and the United Kingdom have come together to advocate for an Indo-UK partnership to realize the concept of ‘One Health Aquaculture’ in India. The ‘One Health Aquaculture’ approach aims to achieve optimal health outcomes for people, aquatic animals, plants, and the environment within the aquaculture sector.
Speaking at a joint Indo-UK workshop, experts stressed the importance of enhancing the health of all participants in the aquatic food value chain while simultaneously striving to meet the rising demand for seafood production. The workshop was jointly organized by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) of the UK government, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
The workshop also called for a collaborative Indo-UK effort to promote research partnerships that can enhance safe and sustainable aquaculture practices in India. Such initiatives can contribute to the adoption of sustainable seafood practices, mitigating the risks associated with unsustainable activities and ultimately improving the livelihoods, environments, and economies of the country.
Sally Taylor from the British High Commission highlighted the potential for a robust UK-India One Health partnership to integrate the aquatic food system into the One Health concept. This integration would address emerging global realities and concerns effectively.
The meeting also proposed innovative measures, including blockchain-enabled tracking of fish production from farm to table, which can enhance the quality of seafood products.
A Gopalakrishnan, Director of CMFRI, pointed out that India already has mechanisms aligning its aquaculture practices with the One Health paradigm, such as the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD), the Indian Network for Fisheries and Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (INFAAR), the All India Network Project on Fish Health, and the Consortia Research Platform on Vaccine and Diagnostics. However, he stressed the need for a national-level agency to coordinate these fragmented efforts effectively.
In light of the increasing disease risks associated with aquaculture, C Ramachandran, Principal Scientist of CMFRI, emphasized the importance of appointing aquatic health experts to prevent the misuse of chemicals like antibiotics in aquaculture. He further stressed the necessity for collaborative research and development efforts to revive and integrate traditional fish farming systems, such as pokkali farming, through the lens of the One Health approach.
The workshop brought together approximately 50 scientists from India and the UK, setting the stage for collaborative efforts to promote sustainable and healthy aquaculture practices, benefiting both the industry and the environment.