Seminar

February 6, 2025 | Caffè Pedrocchi Padova

From 09:00 to 16:30

The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), in collaboration with the University of Padua (Unipd), is organizing a seminar dedicated to innovations in aquaculture, with a focus on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in aquatic animal health domain and applied to aquatic epidemiology - case studies.

Seminar Overview

The seminar is part of the “Strengthening Capacity on Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiologial Surveillance – Aquae Strength” project, which aims to provide technical assistance and promote capacity building in the field of aquatic health, with a specific work package dedicated to GIS application in managing animal diseases.
Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing intensive sectors globally, increasingly relying on GIS for analysing disease transmission. By integrating various datasets, ranging from environmental to biological data, GIS enables comprehensive analysis, supporting the investigation of disease occurrence and spread. This, in turn, aids in adopting biosecurity measures and promotes efficient resources allocation.

The seminar will offer a practical overview of these multifaceted GIS applications in enhancing the aquatic animal health domain. By leveraging GIS capabilities for spatial analysis and visualization, biosecurity practitioners and policymakers can strengthen their efforts in preventing, monitoring, and mitigating threats posed by biological agents. The seminar will feature practical examples, applications, and case studies that demonstrate how GIS tools contribute to informed decision-making and a holistic approach to biosecurity management.

Seminar Content and structure

The seminar will be divided into two main sessions, enriched by the presence of sector experts:

Session 1: GIS in Aquatic animal health domain

Scientific Coordinator: Dr. Nicola Ferrè

This session will focus on the application of GIS in aquaculture, discussing how these tools are used to optimize farm management, track disease outbreaks, and improve biosecurity strategies. International experts will present real-world examples of GIS applications for environmental monitoring, spatial mapping, and disease prevention in aquaculture systems.

Session 2: GIS applied to aquatic Epidemiology – case studies

Scientific Coordinator: Dr. Manuela Dalla Pozza

The second session will delve into the role of aquatic epidemiology in preventing and managing diseases in aquatic species. Experts will discuss how GIS tools are used for disease surveillance, modelling disease spread, and implementing effective control measures in aquatic and aquaculture environments.

Seminar Objectives

The seminar will aim to:

1. Discuss the role and future perspectives of GIS technologies in the aquatic animal health domain.
2. Define a novel approach for developing GIS applications tailored to aquatic animal health.
3. Present practical examples of GIS application in surveillance, disease control and biosecurity efforts.
4. Advocate the importance of biosecurity and epidemiology in the aquatic environment to ensure sustainable and safe aquaculture practices.

Gallery

Expert Talks

• Paolo Tizzani (WOAH)
• Paulette Posen (Cefas)
• Annamaria Conte (IZSAM)
• Ummus Eichemberg Marta (Embrapa)
• Matteo Mazzucato (IZSVe)
• Saraya Tavornpanich (NVI)
• Fernando Mardones (UC)
• Andrea Fabris (API)
• Anna Toffan (IZSVe)

Photos