Methodology of fish disease surveys

Investigations on the disease status of fish populations can give important

information on the possible mortality effects of diseases, and the differentiation of

fish populations. In addition the potential of using diseases of marine organisms as a

tool for monitoring the biological effects of pollution has been discussed within various

ICES-bodies. In 1981 ICES recommended (Res. 1981/4:6) that as a first step in the

realisation of a possible monitoring tool of biological effects the member countries

should undertake observations on pathobiology in relation to the environment and

report the results annually.

Recent literature indicates that the discussion of the possible relationship

between diseases of marine fish and pollution is controversial. Much of the

controversy seems to have been due to shortcomings in the methodology used in

marine fish disease surveys. The Advisory Committee on Marine Pollution (ACMP)

therefore developed the idea of holding a seagoing workshop to bring together

scientists actively involved in the field of marine fish disease surveys to discuss the

problems. At the 1982 Statutory Meeting of ICES in Copenhagen an invitation from

the Federal Republic of Germany for a workshop on board the research vessel "Anton

Dohrn" in January 1984 was extended to ICES member countries. The invitation was

discussed in the Working Group on Pathology and Diseases of Marine Organisms

(WGPDMO) at its 1983 meeting in Lisbon and was gratefully accepted. It was decided

that the final aim of the workshop would be to produce a paper including proposals for

standardised methodologies which could be followed in forthcoming fish surveys.