Tilapia are a group of cichlid fish endemic to tropical freshwater in Africa, Jordan and Israel, that are extremely nutritious and in high global demand. They are a popular species to farm because of their relative ease of culture, their tolerance to relatively high stocking densities, large size, rapid growth and palatability. As a thorough exploration of tilapia aquaculture, this book emphasizes the significance of this group of fish and discusses the crucial elements of tilapia farming, including their reproductive and genetic characteristics, the various cultivation systems employed and the emerging governance of the practice. It also addresses important health management issues, focusing on nutrition, immunology, and animal welfare and extensively analyses the diseases that afflict tilapia, how they are diagnosed and what potential zoonotic hazards exist.The value of the book includes: Contributing to the wider understanding of tilapia aquaculture and the importance of the species to global food security.Providing an in-depth discussion on tilapia fish health, including major diseases, nutrition, immunology and disease prevention.Giving detailed insights into tilapia genetics, production systems, and reproduction.Written by an international team of experts to advance the long-term, sustainable growth of the global aquaculture industry, this book is a comprehensive and essential resource for anyone involved in or learning about tilapia farming.
Little, David C.: - Dr David C. Little is a specialist in aquatic resource development and capacity building, with a track record in research and outreach with commercial and development partners with an aquatic food security focus. He has over thirty-five years of experience in interdisciplinary research and education and has published over 150 academic papers and reviews; He has supervised over 100 postgraduate student research projects, of which more than 30 have been PhD. He has maintained his interest in tilapia since his initial PhD work on mass production of all male juveniles through to the current day. He was part of the core science team of the Blue Food Assessment (www.bluefood.earth).
Shoemaker, Craig A.: - "Dr Craig Shoemaker is a research molecular biologist at the United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit in Auburn, Alabama. He holds a BS and MS in Biology (University of North Dakota) and a PhD degree in Fish Health (Auburn University) and is nationally and internationally recognized for microbiological expertise in farm-raised catfish and tilapia. In his 28-year career as a research scientist, he has published over 165 peer reviewed journal articles (including 10 patents). Recently, pioneering studies by his domestic and international collaborators on selection for increased disease resistance to the top three bacterial pathogens (Streptococcus iniae, S. agalactiae and Francisella orientalis) of Nile tilapia were recognized with the 2023 Federal Laboratory Consortium Impact Award in the United States."
Thompson, Kim: - Dr Kim Thompson is a Principal Investigator at Moredun Research Institute, where she leads the Aquaculture Research Group. She holds a Biochemistry degree (University of Stirling), a Masters in Immunology (University of Aberdeen), and a PhD in Fish Immunology (University of Stirling). With over 30 years of experience, her contributions to vaccine development, functional feeds, and disease resistance in fish are well-recognized. She has over 200 publications (Orcid ID 0000-0003-3550-4842) and has led multiple EU and UK-based research projects. She has also collaborated extensively with the aquaculture industry on health challenges globally.
