June 3, 2014
 

Tackling the global EMS situation with advances in disease control
  

Early mortality syndrome (EMS) continues to threaten the shrimp farming industry, but advanced knowledge is leading to improved practices and better control of the disease, World Fishing reports.

This is according to the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), two months after it launched a case study to identify key shrimp-farming practices that can prevent the disease.

President of the GAA, George Chamberlain, said that EMS is still difficult to quantify because although test methods are improving, EMS losses continue to be confused with those caused by viral diseases such as white spot and Taura syndrome.

The disease is believed to be transmitted vertically from the outside of eggs from broodstock to postlarvae shrimp and can also be transmitted to shrimp via water-borne microorganisms.

Once the disease is established it is difficult to control. In China, antibiotics have been found to be ineffective against the disease because the bacteria responsible are resistant.

To help control the disease, the GAA has a number of recommendations, including only breeding from EMS free broodstock, improving farming practices - which includes carefully monitoring water and bottom quality, and employing a nursery phase to ensure that postlarvae are free from EMS before they are released.

The organisation is launching a new online survey to further tackle the issue. It aims to collect additional information on the EMS status of farms in affected areas along with measures taken to tackle the issue.