The Fish Parasite Biobank Tour 2019

Abstract

Parasites have been historically considered the Cinderella species of marine communities. Contrary to that impression, parasitism is the most common animal lifestyle dominating the marine food webs. As shown in many examples from different ecosystems, parasites affect host energy budgets, host pop­ulation dynamics, interspecies competition and ecosystem productivity. Fish parasites may affect the condition, growth and even the decline of an entire fishery. In mariculture a large variety of parasitic pathogens hamper fish production, causing poor growth performance, impaired welfare and cause high mortality rates. Furthermore, fish-borne zoonotic diseases has gained increased consideration. The best-known example the anisakids which are responsible for a (re)-emergent zoonotic risk associated with a higher exposure level in fish production value chains and trending changes in seafaod consumption