Milestone achieved in Mozambique

The Centre for Aquaculture Research (CEPAQ) in Mozambique started to deliver again fingerlings on the 5th of March after lockdown since November 2019. – It has been a very challenging period, and this is a milestone for all stakeholders involved, said Jose Ramos from Norges Vel.

The fingerlings which are now distributed come from CEPAQ’s hatchery, and about 83 000 more fingerlings will be delivered to local fishfarmers within the next few weeks.

CEPAQ is a facility which works with, among other things, a breeding programme within genetic enhancement of Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and the production of fingerlings for sale to local fishfarmers. CEPAQ is owned by Mozambiques’ Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries (MIMAIP) and is operated by the National Institute of Fisheries Research (IIP).

Read more about the project and the role Norges Vel plays

The facility has been in quarantine since 2019 due to suspicion of Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV). TiLV was first discovered in 2014 in Israel and is a relatively new virus within tilapia farming. Read more about TiLV here.

Good management of fish health and biosecurity is crucial in sustainable fish farming. In collaboration with the local owners, Norges Vel has carried out a comprehensive review of the facility to follow up on the suspicions of TiLV. An international expert group for fish health was established, among other things, with TiLV experts from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute as a participant. The expert group visited the facility at the start of 2020 and came up with recommendations on biosecurity and further testing. The National Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSV), which is used by the United Nations and the European Union for these types of analysis, was chosen as independent laboratory for executing these tests.

After taking over 600 samples both from inside and outside of the facility, where all tests have proven to be negative, the advice from the expert group in collaboration with the local partners and institutions was that production and distribution can now be resumed.

Strict preventative biosecurity measures have been implemented at the facility, and solid routines for quality control and follow-up are established with all farmers receiving fingerlings from the facility.