Pharmacology & ToxicologyAquaculture-related pharmacological and toxicological research is important to improved health condition for farmed fish and shellfish, and food safety for the consumers.
Resistance may compromize effective treatments, and toxicological, biochemical and molecular methods are used by our laboratories to monitor the sensitivity in parasites, especially sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis). The usage of antibacterial and antiparasitic drugs in farmed fish is investigated to evaluate food safety, the resistance situation and the environmental impact of the use of drugs in aquaculture species. In particular, the use of antibacterial agents in Norwegian aquaculture over the last two decades has been a key poin of interest. The Algal Laboratory is in the forefront in developing analytical methods performing toxicological studies to establish tolerance levels for the individual compounds in seafood. Environmental pollutants in feed and food may represent a potential health risk, and the Environmental Toxicology Laboratory has a long experience in studies on occurrence, levels and effects of environmental pollutants in food chain, in feed for use in aquaulture and in fish for human consumption. |
Diseases will always be a threat in fish farms, and when preventive measures fails, medication may be necessary. Pharmacological studies are necessary to arrive at sensible recommendations for the correct use of medicinal products in aquaculture species.