Jakarta, Indonesia – Researchers at the Veterinary Research Center (PRVet) of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) are focusing on developing new vaccines and medications for fish, as well as improved methods for disease detection and antimicrobial resistance. These efforts aim to increase the productivity of aquatic food.

"Managing the health of cultured fish is becoming increasingly important, as disease outbreaks in fish farming can reduce productivity and profitability," said Angela Mariana Lusiastuti, a researcher at PRVet.

She revealed that liquid vaccines have limitations such as being impractical and easily damaged during storage and transportation. To address these challenges, the researchers are developing freeze-dried vaccines coated with chitosan, which offers several advantages.

"It is easy to mobilize, can maintain the quality and effectiveness of the vaccine at high temperatures, and is suitable for long-distance transportation," she explained.

Additionally, Lusiastuti emphasized the importance of developing and collaborating on research into zoonotic diseases, which can re-emerge due to contaminants such as toxins, heavy metals, hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals.

"The commercialization of innovative products obtained needs to be carried out," she said.

Meanwhile, Dedi Chandra, an ecosystem controller at the Ministry of Forestry, stressed the importance of aquatic food security amid the threat of climate change. He highlighted the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) fish health standards, which cover disease prevention, early detection, reporting, and control to ensure the safety of international trade in fishery products.

"The purpose of aquatic standards is to improve the safety and health of aquatic animals worldwide," he said.

Dedi explained that these standards are designed to ensure the safety of international trade in aquatic animals and aquatic animal products, while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers.