The drugs used in fish farms "are like pesticides": we have a serious problem with aquaculture

The drugs used in fish farms

The use of drugs in aquaculture must be reviewed for the sake of the environment and human health: the requests of the EMA to the EU

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

In the space of two decades, global production of farmed fish has more than tripled. And by this year it could go beyond offshore fishing. But is aquaculture really more sustainable as highlighted by many? Apparently not, or at least not for the moment, and the main problem is the use of certain drugs used in the sector that represent a considerable threat to marine ecosystems and beyond. And they can cause damage like pesticides do. 





To preserve seas and oceans from the reckless use of certain inadequate drugs, the Working Group for Environmental Risk Assessment (EMA body) addressed the European Union, stressing the need to adopt adequate environmental protection measures. and human health. 

The effects of using medicines in aquaculture on the environment are a serious problem”- explains Sara Villa, researcher at the University of Milan-Bicocca. - There is a need for greater awareness on this aspect, as has happened in the recent past for the use of pesticides in agriculture. Our group has been called to provide operational indications, at the request of the European Union to the EMA. The examination of the current scenario and of the reference regulatory framework has allowed us to give indications so that in future guidelines the application of risk mitigation measures for the reduction of environmental exposure of veterinary drugs at the level is taken into consideration. of a single aquaculture farm.

The indications are merged into a detailed document published in the journal "Environmental Sciences Europe".

The current legislative framework (i.e. Directive 2001/82 / EC [41] and, from January 28, 2022, Regulation [EU] 2019/6 [VMP-Reg; 42] and related regulatory guidance documents) governing the authorization of veterinary medicines in the European Union does not provide clear instructions on how to carry out an environmental risk assessment for medicines intended for use in certain aquaculture facilities - the scholars explain - The number of veterinary medicines available for use in aquaculture is extremely low, resulting in important therapeutic gaps for several common diseases in aquatic species (eg bacterial and viral infections or parasitic infestations). This in turn significantly reduces animal welfare and can also pose a risk to food safety and public health. As of 1 July 2020, only 286 veterinary medicines (314 when considering the UK) have mostly been authorized nationally in the EU / EEA area for use in captive-bred fish, including ornamental fish. About half of these products are vaccines, while the other half mainly comprise antibiotics (29%) and, to a much lesser extent, products such as sedatives / anesthetics, hormones or pesticides. Another complicating factor is that many of the aforementioned products contain the same active ingredients, which not only limits the treatment options available to fish, but also increases the likelihood of developing resistance against many of these active ingredients.



Read also: Intensive sea bass and sea bream farming in Greece: we too are guilty of the destruction of the marine ecosystem of the Ionian Islands

Ema's requests to the European Union 

One of the main problems is that up to three-quarters of the dose of drug used in aquaculture is likely to end up in the environment, posing a threat to the wild flora and fauna found in the vicinity of intensive fish farms. And it is not easy to predict with what effects because the specific medicines approved by the EMA are few and are often compensated with veterinary drugs approved for terrestrial species. Furthermore, wildlife (including species intended for human consumption such as fish and crustaceans) can be adversely affected by release from pharmaceutical residues and could also develop phenomena of antibiotic resistance.

Finally, another aspect to take into consideration is what it concerns waste sludge from aquaculture facilities, for which the possibility of use on agricultural land is foreseen.

In the light of all these shortcomings, the Working Group for Environmental Risk Assessment is asking first of all for a harmonization of the European framework and those of the Member States for the Environmental Risk Assessment of veterinary medicines used in aquaculture. At the same time, experts urge simplification of procedures through the use of advanced mathematical models. This should also facilitate the final approval process for these drugs. Furthermore, they underline the urgency of providing risk mitigation measures that take into consideration both the type of plant and its location because "it is not enough to distinguish between freshwater and marine ones, but it must be considered that the the extent of the effects on the surrounding ecosystem is also determined by specific environmental conditions such as the temperature and salinity of the water ".



Finally, the experts emphasize the need for adequate training of plant operators to contain the risk of inappropriate use of medicines also because, unlike what happens in the case of incorrect use of plant protection products in agriculture, the failure to comply with the employment requirements is currently not sanctioned.

Follow us on Telegram | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Youtube

Photos: Environmental Sciences Europe / University of Milano-Bicocca

Read also: 

  • The horror you don't expect in intensive fish farming
  • Smothered and beaten fish: the dark side of fish farms immortalized for the first time
add a comment of The drugs used in fish farms "are like pesticides": we have a serious problem with aquaculture
Comment sent successfully! We will review it in the next few hours.