Why healthy fish mean healthy people and a healthy planet

By Zablon Oyugi

Aquatic food systems are increasingly important to global food security, livelihoods and nutrition yet, beneath the surface of the world’s lakes, rivers and farms lies a growing threat that deserves greater attention: aquatic diseases.

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on One Health below the surface: The role of aquatic biosecurity, strengthening aquatic biosecurity must become an integral part of the One Health approach, which recognizes that the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems is closely interconnected.

The issue is particularly important as aquaculture continues to expand. According to FAO, aquaculture supplied more than half of the fish consumed globally and produced about 103 million tonnes of farmed aquatic animals in 2024.

Total aquaculture production reached 142 million tonnes, valued at approximately US$371 billion. These figures demonstrate how much the world depends on aquatic food production—and how costly disease outbreaks can become.

Aquatic diseases do not only affect fish farmers. An outbreak can reduce fish supplies, threaten household incomes, disrupt trade and place pressure on national food security.

In communities where fish is an important source of affordable animal protein, declining production can also raise food prices and make nutritious diets less accessible, particularly for low-income households.

The effects can extend even further. FAO notes that disease outbreaks may damage ecosystems, reduce biodiversity and increase pressure on farmers to use antibiotics.

When antibiotics are used frequently or improperly to manage recurring disease problems, they can contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—a major global health concern. Stronger biosecurity, therefore, is not simply about keeping fish healthy; it can also help reduce the need for antimicrobial medicines and protect human health.

The nature of aquatic production makes the challenge especially complex. Fish farms operate in shared water environments where wild and farmed species interact.

Water can carry pathogens across borders, while changes in temperature, salinity and extreme weather associated with climate change can influence where diseases emerge and spread.

This means that one country’s disease-control efforts can be undermined if neighbouring countries do not take similar precautions.

This reality is especially relevant around Lake Victoria, which demonstrates the importance of regional cooperation in Africa. FAO reports that the Lake Victoria Basin strategy, developed through the TRUE-FISH project, was endorsed in 2024 by Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

With the countries sharing the same water body, disease risks are also shared. No single country can fully protect its aquaculture industry without cooperation from its neighbours.

To address these challenges, FAO, together with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), developed the Progressive Management Pathway for Aquaculture Biosecurity.

The framework helps countries identify disease risks, strengthen surveillance, improve preparedness and ultimately establish sustainable systems that consider aquatic, human and ecosystem health together.

The message from FAO is clear: aquatic biosecurity should no longer be treated as a concern for fisheries authorities alone. It requires cooperation among governments, farmers, veterinary and environmental services, researchers, communities and development partners.

As demand for fish continues to grow, preventing disease must grow alongside production. Investing in surveillance, farmer training, responsible antimicrobial use, vaccination, improved husbandry and regional cooperation can help protect livelihoods and food supplies.

Aquatic One Health begins beneath the surface—but its benefits extend far beyond the water. Protecting the health of fish and aquatic ecosystems is ultimately an investment in healthier people, stronger economies and a more resilient planet.