PRESS RELEASE

Subject: - DISEASE OUT BREAK IN SHIZOTHORAX FISH SPECIES IN RIVER SWAT.

In River Swat, an unknown and mysterious fish disease spreads since May, 2016 causing huge mortality of Shizothorax (Swati fish). To investigate the reason of the unknown fish disease, Director Fisheries, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa constituted a high level technical committee comprising of the prominent Fisheries experts of the province. The committee was asked to determine reason of the disease and provide suggestions/recommendations for its control in future.

According to the Committee members, the disease spreads from water pollution i-e direct discharge of Municipal wastes, mixing of Industrial effluents, and use of pesticide in Agricultural lands. Polluted water is safe haven for a variety of parasites for which fish is the primary target. The Committee is of the view that the disease spread in Shizothorax from a bacteria known as “Flavobocterium Columnaris”. The disease spread from this bacteria is called “Columnaris”. The fish infected from this disease become a secondary target for other disease “Saprolagneasis”, “Infectious pancreatic Necrosis”, “Viral Haemorhegic Septacemia” and “Brancheomycosis”.

The Committee recommended that all the government functionaries should play their role to minimize the water pollution and in this regard, awareness campaign should be initiated for the public through the media.

The disease in Shizothorax is now in control. No mortality has been reported from river Swat. Ultimately the situation becomes normalized.