Fish diseases in Malaysia: Status and problems

Abstract

Aquaculture is still at an early stage of development in Malaysia; however, it has expanded quite rapidly over the past decade or so. Under the National Agriculture Policy, aquaculture development has been given high priority and entrepreneurs are given various incentives and support services.

The technologies of various aquaculture systems in Malaysia are already well developed. Many farms adopt intensive culture system and where inadequate fish seed is a constraint, importation from neighboring countries supports culture. It is in the intensive culture system, both in the hatchery and grow-out phases, that diseases often occur. Diseases have resulted in significant economic loss to fish and shrimp farmers.

The study of fish parasites has been carried out for sometime but it dealt mainly with taxonomy. The systematic study of fish disease and its documentation are comparatively new. At present, three institutions are involved in fish disease research: Fisheries Research Institute under the Department of Fisheries, Agriculture University of Malaysia, and Science University of Malaysia.