JIFSAN Good Aquacultural Practices Program Antibiotics: Use of Chemotherapeutics

Antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are an important component of good aquaculture practices. However, they must be used with extreme care to guard against improper use and to assure that all regulations and requirements are followed. Concerns Development of antibiotic resistance in both target pathogens and normal bacterial flora is a concern in aquaculture production. Concerns focus on human and environmental safety issues, and on the potential for the establishment of antibiotic resistant zoonotic pathogens in wild stocks (FDA 2006). An integral part of good veterinary practices is a regime in which every effort is made to maximize therapeutic efficiency and minimize selectio