May 20, 2010

White spot syndrome alarms Panama shrimp farms

Several shrimp farms in the central region of Panama were alarmed by the presence of white spot syndrome as confirmed by the Ministry of Farming Development (MIDA).

Shrimp mortalities were detected in farms located in Cocle, Veraguas and Los Santos, explained Pablo Constantino Moreno, National Director of Animal Health of MIDA.

Analyses were carried out in eight firms at those locations, which tested positive for the disease, a blight that had decimated the shrimp farm output of many Central American countries by the end of the 1990s.

So far, the government has declared a sanitary alert in the region and experts are working on drafting a report of potential losses and affected areas.

The virus that causes the white spot disease belongs to the Nimaviridae family. It is highly infectious and leads to death in 100% of the shrimp infected in just a few days, but remains innocuous to humans.

Roberto Chamaro, spokesman for shrimp producers, said that the losses due to the presence of the virus have not yet been quantified.

Meanwhile, Minister Manuel Miranda of Farming Development, warned: "It is likely that some countries will 'quarantine us' as we are larvae exporters, and we will have to suffer the consequences."

The national director of Aquaculture, Reinaldo Morales, added: "If we apply appropriate management to the farms, as far as the quality of water, most likely we will not have disease problems in the following cycle of production, which is equivalent to about five months' time."

"Some 20% of shrimp farms have been affected, which translates into 50% of the stocked pools, far below the area of production, meaning that we have time to take measures to avoid more serious consequences," he added.