Shellfish production forms a large proportion of marine aquaculture production in Northern Ireland (NI). Diseases represent a serious threat to the maintenance and growth of shellfish cultivation with severe consequences to production output and profitability. In Northern Ireland, production generally benefits from a good health status with the absence of notifiable diseases, except for localised cases of Bonamia ostreae , Marteilia refringens and ostreid herpes virus. In this paper, we qualitatively explore that the prevalence, risk, impact, mitigation and experience shellfish farmers in this region have in relation to disease. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders within the sector. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and Nvivo 12 was used to facilitate an inductive thematic analysis. Our results highlighted that the industry has varying attitudes and experiences with disease. At present-day temperatures, disease is not an issue and this provides vast market opportunities for the region. However, disease outbreaks have led to detrimental consequences to financial income, production output and reputation in the past, whilst control and mitigation remain reactive. It is imperative proactive disease prevention and control that are employed and enforced to sustain NI’s reputation as a healthy shellfish region, particularly under increasing global temperatures and intensified production systems. A cultural shift to disease appreciation, risk analysis and surveillance through research, education, training and collaboration is essential. This study highlights the importance of providing a bottom-up communication platform with the stakeholders directly involved in shellfish culture and management, the value of cross sector engagement and the need to improve knowledge transfer between science the sector.

中文翻译：

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预防和减轻养殖的双壳类疾病：北爱尔兰的案例研究

贝类生产占北爱尔兰（NI）海洋水产养殖产量的很大一部分。疾病对贝类养殖的维持和增长构成了严重威胁，严重影响了生产产量和利润。在北爱尔兰，除了本地化的 Bonamia ostreae ， Marteilia refringens 病例外，生产通常得益于良好的健康状况且没有应报告的疾病 和ostreid疱疹病毒。在本文中，我们定性地探索了该地区贝类养殖者的患病率，风险，影响，缓解和经验，与疾病有关。与行业内的利益相关者进行了十六次半结构化访谈。采访被逐字记录，并且Nvivo 12用于促进归纳主题分析。我们的结果表明，该行业对疾病的态度和经验各不相同。在当今的温度下，疾病已不是问题，这为该地区提供了广阔的市场机会。但是，过去，疾病暴发对财政收入，生产产出和声誉造成了不利影响，而控制和缓解仍然是被动的。必须采取并强制执行预防性疾病主动控制措施，以维持NI作为健康贝类地区的声誉，尤其是在全球温度升高和生产系统集约化的情况下。必须通过研究，教育，培训和协作从文化上转移到疾病欣赏，风险分析和监视上。这项研究强调了与直接参与贝类养殖和管理的利益相关者提供自下而上的交流平台的重要性，跨部门参与的价值以及改善科学部门之间的知识转移的必要性。通过研究，教育，培训和协作进行风险分析和监控至关重要。这项研究强调了与直接参与贝类养殖和管理的利益相关者提供自下而上的交流平台的重要性，跨部门参与的价值以及改善科学部门之间的知识转移的必要性。通过研究，教育，培训和协作进行风险分析和监控至关重要。这项研究强调了与直接参与贝类养殖和管理的利益相关者提供自下而上的交流平台的重要性，跨部门参与的价值以及改善科学部门之间的知识转移的必要性。