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Fish health history in the US – Not intended to put you to sleep

Drew Mitchell

Retired, USDA - ARS

ABSTRACT

Hi Folks (not many abstracts start with that).  Being somewhat aged, yet not quite old enough to be a contemporary of Darwin, I look forward to meeting many of you again for the first time; that is on Zoom, if I can get my computer to work.  Have no fear, I have a grandson who knows all things computer.  Well to history – nothing is more boring, right?  Unless one experiences the fun, adventure, and meaning that history has for us today, it seems to offer little more than moldy old facts. To start the presentation, I plan to briefly discuss my own venture into fish health.  This includes the feeding of feral cats with light-excited, whirling-disease, infected rainbows in 1973 and remarks on Dr. Glenn Hoffman, my mentor from 1977-1985, who imparted in me a practical understanding of fish parasites and a fascination for fish health history.  Following that, I plan to share information on some pre-1900 fish treatments, including asphalt and electrozone, along with a few other tidbits that inspired me and piqued my interest.  One of these tidbits involves Benjamin Henry Latrobe’s description of the first fish parasite in the US in 1797, and how the riveting events surrounding President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky contributed important information on Latrobe’s background.  I will also briefly discuss a few key scientists and innovators (including a preacher) involved in fish health from about 1850 to 1950 in the US.  Additionally, because I worked with the Southeastern aquaculture community for more than 4 decades, I will share some history on channel catfish health from the early 1890s through the 1970s.  And in addition to the additionally, I will discuss some positive impacts that comes from an historical knowledge of fish health and then give what I believe is the most important innovation, discovery, technical development, “new” tool – you get the idea – that I experienced during my career.  All this should be easily covered in about a week, but alas, I only have about an hour with you and part of that is for questions.   We’ll just have to see what happens. 

BIOSKETCH

Training: Glassboro State College, NJ (BA Biology 1973); Auburn University, AL (MS Fisheries 1976); Leetown Fish Disease Long Course 1979-1980: Virology course Memphis State University, TN (1985)

Worked actively in fish health for 44 years (includes time hunting, fishing, collecting critters with my family and playing sudoku).

Expertise: Jack of some trades and Master of none. I have some experience with:

1) warmwater fish parasites and bacteria and their treatments

2) control of some parasite vectors, particularly snails

3) fish viruses and their culture 

4) water quality, algal and zooplankton blooms, nutrition and toxins as they relate to fish health

5) fish diagnostic work

6)fish health inspection work

7) fish health history 

8) triploid grass carp inspection program

9) research with parasites, treatments, vector control, bacterial disease control, and developing systems for producing “natural” bacterial infections  

Publications: all I could but less than a seasoned fish health worker with my time in should have 

Awards: more than I deserve (my peers have either been overly generous or confused me with someone else)