GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL DISEASES OF CRUSTACEANS

The author discusses the way in which bacterial and fungal diseases of crustaceans can be and have been transmitted via commercial movements of stocks. live classic examples of such diseases are presented namel y gaffkaemia (a bacterial disease of marine lobsters) and crayfish pla gue (a fungal disease of freshwater crayfish). In both cases, there is ample evidence that much of the disease spread can be linked to the c ommercial movement of infected animals caught from infected wild stock s and transported over large distances for wholesale and retail. In th e case of crayfish plague, much of the relentless spread of this disea se through Europe for nearly 140 years can also be linked to the movem ent of contaminated fishing equipment without disinfection.