| Fatal fish disease on the rise in Zambezi river ZAMBIA The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) has issued an alert indicating that the Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS) caused by the fungus Aphanomyces invadans is wiping out finfish stocks in the Zambeze river basin. The System, a dependency of the United Nation’s (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) discloses that the aquatic disease forms severe lesions on fish and has a high rate of mortality. The disease also purportedly puts specimens from other African areas at risk. “If not properly contained there is the risk of the disease spreading to other countries surrounding the Zambezi River as well as river systems in the region,” said Rohana Subasinghe, Senior Fishery Resources Officer of the FAO. This African river boasts a surface area of 1,390,000 km² and is home to some 32 million people, 80 per cent of which are dependent on agriculture, fishing and aquaculture. According to the GIEWS report, Zambia is the most affected nation, encompassing two-thirds of the Zambezi River Basin. In addition to serving as a source of protein, fish serves as the source of revenue in many rural areas. Now, more than 2,000 villages and some 700,000 people are threatened by food insecurity. Experts recommend not consuming contaminated fish unless it is “thoroughly” cooked, FAO explains. Some 50 species of finfish are susceptible to being infected with EUS. The first case of this syndrome appeared in Japan in the early 1970s. It later spread to Australia, much of Asia, and to the United States in 1984. It can now be found in at least 24 countries around the world, specialists say. Since 2007, FAO has contributed to building capacities for managing the disease in the seven Zambezi River Basin countries: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This initiative “includes basic EUS diagnosis, targeted EUS surveillance and basic aquatic animal health management.” FAO adds. Even though the UN organisation acknowledges that “Control of EUS in natural waters such as rivers is impossible,” it explains that it is relatively simple to do it in fish farming activities, through the implementation of a series of biosecurity measures that can minimise or prevent its spread. Some of the precautionary measures recommended include preventing possible carriers or vectors from contaminating water bodies or fish ponds, removing dead fish promptly and improving water quality. By Analia Murias
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