Aquatic Resources and Health Management

India is bestowed with vast water resources both marine and freshwater. These water bodies harbour a rich assemblage of aquatic plants and animals that are being exploited as aquatic resources. Among the aquatic resources, fishes occupy a prominent position due to their significant economic, livelihood and nutritional security values. India is the sixth largest fish producer in the world and second in inland fishes. Further, it is estimated that fish and other aquatic resources/products, especially marine, contribute around 1% of GDP. However, the aquatic resources, like any other bioresources, are under threat due to various anthropogenic impacts. Besides negative environmental impacts, aquatic resources are also under threat due to various infectious and non-infectious diseases. This indicates the need for a proper understanding of the health of aquatic system which includes the environment as well as the living aquatic resources. In this background, mapping of our aquatic resources and understanding the biology and diversity are essential to maintain integrity of aquatic communities and ecosystems through appropriate management measures. Further, a comparative analysis of pathogens and their impact on the hosts in natural population and in the artificial system of aquaculture would be useful in understanding the disease process in a better way and to formulate a better and effective health management measures. It is also necessary to understand some of the advanced health management tools that can be utilized for the better management practices. The subject of aquatic resources and health management is very diverse and vast. A lot of information is being generated on the aquatic resources and health management on a regular basis and it is essential to make this dynamic information available to the students, researchers, mangers and policymakers.

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