Abstract of the inaugural lecture
No death without cause: On disease surveillance and mortality in fish farming
In aquaculture, as in any biological production system, a certain degree of disease and mortality is inevitable. However, poor health or mortality in farmed fish is more than just an economic concern for the farmer—it also raises important environmental and ethical issues.
To reduce mortality and promote good health and welfare in farmed fish, it is essential to understand the underlying causes of disease and death. Traditionally, fish health surveillance has relied on visual observation and diagnostic sampling. In recent years, however, attention has shifted toward sensor-based monitoring and data-driven technologies to support decision-making, such as the use of cameras, machine learning, and predictive modelling.
While acknowledging that death must have a cause, we must strive to understand all the contributing factors that make up the total burden of disease and mortality. By analyzing historical production data and modelling mortality patterns, we can gain valuable insights. These insights can be used to define mortality benchmarks, enabling automated systems to detect deviations and alert farmers or regulatory bodies to potential health issues.
In this lecture, I will show how we can draw on past experiences to address future challenges. So come with me on a Journey into Aquaculture Mortality—where every fish counts, and every cause matters.
