Detection of tenacibaculum sp. the cause of mouthrot in Atlantic salmon raised by Marine Harvest Canada****

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Marine Harvest Canada sustainably raises Atlantic salmon in British Columbia. An important production disease affecting smolts in netpens is mouthrot caused by Tenacibaculum sp. Losses occur due to mortality but as importantly due to reduced growth. Treatment of affected fish is expensive and often has to be repeated incurring significant costs. The bacteria associated with this disease can also be resistant to the available antimicrobial agents. Management strategies other than antimicrobial therapy are therefore of critical need. This proposal will adapt and create quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for quantification of the responsible bacteria. Understanding where the organism is harboured in the fish, environment and water and knowing when high bacterial loads are present before, during and after an outbreak are key information needed to better manage outbreaks. The assays can also be used to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments and understand why they are often not successful. These assays will allow improvements to proactive management of mouthrot at MHC netpen sites and should allow options other than antimicrobial therapy or that reduce the need for antimicrobial use. **