Fish Pathologists, working in the field are primarily responsible for ensuring the health and well being of the consumers of farmed fish. To do this Fish Pathologists have to tend to the well being of the farmed stocks, take all preventive measures to protect the farmed populations from diseases, and provide the proper treatments when necessary. Some Fish Pathologists may work mainly in the laboratory, specialising in areas such as Microbiology, Paracitology or immunology.
Typical work activities
The most important thing to clarify is that Fish Pathologists are dealing with populations of farmed stocks and not with individual fish, except in the case of valuable broodstock fish.
The usual duty of the Fish Pathologist is to monitor the stocks for irregular behaviour e.g. loss of appetite, irregular swimming activity and mortalities. This regular clinical examination of stock behaviour enables the Fish Pathologist to raise a quick and early alarm for the outbreak of disease on the farm.
In most cases, disease cannot be diagnosed by this clinical examination alone and thus, laboratory support is required. Small laboratories are sometimes present in fish hatcheries or farms, where initial diagnosis may be made and direct action measures can be proposed on these bases, until the final diagnosis is determined.
The selection, collection, preparation and examination of biological samples are critical for a correct diagnosis. There are a limited number of medicines approved for use with aquatic organisms and thus, the challenge is how to apply these correctly to the disease in question. Medical drugs are delivered mainly through the feed. The dosage is dependent on stock and temperature.
Close co-operation between the Fish Pathologist and other personnel on the farm is a critical prerequisite for achieving the best results for the fish stocks. Fish Pathologists provide training to on-farm personnel, in non-stressing methods and practices for the fish.
Work conditions
Range of typical starting salaries:
Salaries start from around €20,000 and they can be as high as €50,000 for highly qualified and experienced Fish Vets and Pathologists. The level also depends on the size of the farm and the number of different sites for which the Fish Vet or Pathologist is responsible for.
Working hours
Normally Fish Pathologists, hired by an Aquaculture enterprise have an eight hour working day. The nature of their work however, and the fact that disease outbreaks can happen at any time, makes this statement irrelevant. A Fish Pathologist must be ready to give his/her support at any time of day and on any day.
Mobility in industry
Fish Pathologists are well sought after by the industry and usually do not have a problem finding a job.
Permanent or temporary work available
Many Fish Pathologists work freelance, and they may tend several farms even in different countries.
A Fish Pathologist can have either a Biology degree or Veterinary Medicine Degree. A Fish Vet has a Veterinary Medicine degree. In both cases, postgraduate studies are necessary since fish pathology requires further specialisation. There are well-recognised postgraduate MSc courses through Europe, which offer detailed study of the subject.
Typical years of study
The Veterinary Medicine Degree takes five years to complete. A degree in Biology takes from three to four years depending on the country (e.g. three years in UK, four years in Greece). MSc courses take one to two years.
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