THE EFFECTS OF FISH DISEASE AND PARTICULARLY SPRING VIREMIA OF CARP ON COMMERCIAL FRESHWATER AQUACULTURE IN ALBANIA

It has been recognized that the Spring viremia of carp (SVC) is an acute systemic viral infection caused by Rhabdovirus carpio (RVC) virus. The disease was known as infections dropsy of carp till the isolation of the virus from common carp. There is no studies relation the damages that caused fish disease in general Spring viremia of carp. The principal purpose of this paper is to highlight the effects of the disease on the freshwater aquaculture and quantify the damage to the local producer’s economy. Following various data the commercial freshwater aquaculture in Albania started at the end of sixties. Warm water freshwater species (originally based on common carp, to which Chinese carps were introduced at the beginning of seventies) represent the major aquaculture production in our country. Cold water salmonides, principally Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo letnica are another important group for aquaculture production in Albania. In the last period of two decades, because of economical and political changes the production in general declined, while in the last years there is a revitalization trend. Until 1990 the fish farming areas has reached to a total surface area of 215 ha, the production of fingerlings for restocking purpose arrived at more than 32 millions fingerlings of about 8 - 10 g, each. On the other hand, part of these fingerlings was used as stocking material in the fattening ponds of the semi-intensive fish farming. There were about 200 ha in, all fattening ponds and the average yield was 2 - 2.5 ton/ ha with a maximum of 5 ton/ha. In 2001, the carp production was 15 t fish and 5 million fingerlings. Following our analyses in several fish ponds in Elbasan, Korca, Fier and Shkodra, there is also in between 10-20% of the production that affects local incomes and threaten the health security of fish systems itself and human population as well.