Diagnostics, surveillance and the veterinary contingency against infectious diseases in fish, bivalves and crustaceans moves from the National Veterinary Institute (DTU Vet) to the National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU Aqua)
A unit of about 20 researchers and laboratory technicians working with diseases and health management in fish, bivalves and crustaceans has been transferred from the National Veterinary Institute (DTU VET) to DTU Aqua. As the two institutes are already neighbours at DTU’s campus in Lyngby, the unit will stay at its previous facilities, but with a new organizational set up.
The transfer implies that DTU Aqua is now responsible for the veterinary contingency against infectious diseases in aquatic animals covered by the legislation and for the monitoring of upcoming and emerging diseases. In relation to this, DTU Aqua conducts diagnostic analyses, also for payment, and does research into the development of new and more effective test methods, on pathogen characterization and disease prophylaxis. The tasks are defined in a contract with the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark.
Furthermore, DTU Aqua is now appointed as the EU Reference Laboratory for fish diseases and as of 1 July 2018 also for crustacean diseases. Additionally, the Institute is the OIE Reference Laboratory for the fish disease viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS). OIE is the World Organisation for Animal Health.
The transfer is part of a phasing-out of DTU Vet as an independent institute. In 2016-17 a tender on the veterinary contingency was put out by the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark with the result that University of Copenhagen and Statens Serum Institut (SSI) will take over the veterinary contingency in Denmark from 2020.