Investigation of tilapia mortality in Ghana

Investigation of tilapia mortality in Ghana

High mortality in tilapia farming in Lake Volta could not be associated to present of Tilapia Lake Virus. The aquaculture industry needs, however, an organized primary fish health management to be able to develop its production potential in a sustainable way

A field trip to Lake Volta for collecting data for evaluating causes of high mortality in the Ghanaian

aquaculture industry was performed in the period 28 - 31 Mai 2018. During the mission seven farms in the southern Lake Volta region were visited; five grow-out farms and two hatcheries with ownership representing African, European and Chinese interests. Biological samples were taken from all the farms and analyzed in Norway by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute (histopathology and bacteriology) and the University of Life Science (virology). The virology testing focused only on the potential presence of Tilapia Lake Virus.

Term of References given by the World Bank, which funded the mission together with NORAD through its “Fish for Development”-Program, defined the mission.