Global overview of national regulations for antibiotic use in aquaculture production

Abstract

The intensification of aquaculture industries around the globe has led to increased susceptibility and exposure to diseases. To ensure the well-being of animals and the profitability of the industry, many aquaculture farms resort to antibiotic treatments. However, with the increasing presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), it has become important to regulate and limit the use of antibiotics, especially in animal production and regarding the antibiotics that are deemed as critically important for human health by the World Health Organization (WHO). This review describes how AMR mitigation strategies have developed over time in international settings and how they relate to aquaculture. Furthermore, we analyzed how different countries and regions abide by these statutes, as well as the antibiotic standards from a selection of certification schemes. Our results show that the role of aquaculture has been inexplicitly addressed in international guidance documents and that there is a need to further increase the activities of aquaculture operations in combating AMR, with an emphasis on alternatives to antibiotic use. We also found that most countries and regions allow the highest priority-, or critically important antibiotics in aquaculture, which could have detrimental effects on animal, environmental, and public health. As a result, most countries fail to comply with the recommendations and standards set by international organizations and certification schemes.