2004), A review of the impact of parasitic copepods on marine aquaculture

review of the impact of parasitic copepods on marine aquaculture. Zoological Studies 43(2): 229-243. Parasitic copepods are common on cultured and wild marine finfish, and there is a substantive literature describing their taxonomy, life cycles, and host ranges. Although many species have long been recognized to have the potential to affect the growth, fecundity, and survival of their hosts, it has only been with the develop-ment of semi-intensive and intensive aquaculture that their importance as disease-causing agents has become evident. Members of the family Caligidae are the most commonly reported species on fish reared in brackish and marine waters. These species, often referred to as sea lice, are responsible for most disease outbreaks. The impacts of sea lice on marine salmonid aquaculture are well documented, with catastrophic losses report-ed for disease outbreaks that have resulted in high levels of mortality. With the development of a variety of treatments and management strategies to reduce infection levels, mortality caused by sea lice has been greatly reduced. At present, economic losses due to sea lice are primarily from the costs of treatments, the costs of the management strategies, the costs associated with reduced growth rates that are a direct result of infection and/or treatment, and the costs of carcass downgrading at harvest. Indirect and direct losses due to sea lice i