Developing a surveillance, alert and response system (SVAR) to reduce the use of antimicrobials in Chilean salmon farming

Context

Since 2017 Chile has implemented a One Health based National Action Plan (NAP) against Antimicrobial Resistance which is formulated as an intersectoral national plan that requires inter-ministerial commitments. The second version of the NAP, which was released in 2021, is a strategic plan with guidelines and goals by year and includes a wide range of activities across sectors to combat AMR.

In 2022, salmon and trout were the third most important products for export from Chile. The Chilean salmon farming industry does, however, use more antibiotics than other major salmon producing countries. The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) oversees sanitary programmes and resolutions within aquaculture and is monitoring the use of pharmaceutical products with regular data collected on antibiotic use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on farms. The Government is striving for a prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials with the aim of preserving animal health, the environment and human health, taking a One Health approach.

Problem

The use of antimicrobials in the salmon farming industry in Chile is concentrated to the sea fattening phase of the production cycle. The main cause for AMU is the endemic bacteria Piscirickettsia salmonis, which causes high mortality during the marine phase of aquaculture and for which there are currently no effective vaccines. In 2022, 91% of the AMU in fattening farms was for treatment of P. salmonis.

Chilean salmon farming has made several efforts to control P. salmonis, through a series of preventive strategies. Nevertheless, disease incidence caused by P. salmonis remains high, resulting in extensive mortality rates and AMU. The use of antimicrobials is exacerbated by the current management practices in salmon farms as well as a lack of standardisation of treatment guidelines and practices among veterinarians, farms and companies, but also because of limited consolidation, communication, and use of available AMR and AMU data.

Project overview

The aim of the project is to prevent AMR by reducing AMU in Chilean Atlantic salmon aquaculture by 25% in the intervention farms as compared to the control farms.

The overall objective is to design and implement a Surveillance, Alert, and Response System (SVARS), using various sources of information, provide a catalogue of voluntary and mandatory measures and interventions to be implemented by high usage farms to reduce their AMU. The specific objectives are to:

Phase I

1. Identify, validate, and determine the relative contribution of practices and factors associated with high and low AMU against P. salmonis in fattening salmon farms, and conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of the measures.

2. Review current legislation, determine AMU benchmark values, and key intervention measures to be implemented at high AMU farms, and define the operational and infrastructural requirements for a sustainable SVARS.

Phase II

3. Implement the SVARS, and evaluate the overall feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-benefit of the system.

4. Evaluate barriers and enablers for scaling up the SVARS and disseminate the model, results and experiences obtained to Low-and Middle-Income Countries in the region and beyond. This will support the establishment of AMU surveillance and response mechanisms, including the adaptability of the model to different types of production.

This project not only addresses the urgent challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Chilean aquaculture but also strengthens the capacity of Latin American aquaculturein AMR surveillance and mitigation. This initiative demonstrates a commitment to amplifying its impact regionally, ensuring sustainable practices that safeguard animal, environmental, and human health while fostering innovation and collaboration across borders. – Claudia Cobo Angel, Science Advisor: AMR Mitigation, ICARS

Outcomes

The project will strive for the following outcomes:

• Improved practices to reduce antimicrobial use are adopted consistently by salmon farmers.
• Improved science-based governance of antimicrobial use in the salmon farming sector.