Scientist develops new treatment for fish-killing fungus

A P.E.I. scientist says he is close to putting the final touches on a new treatment against a fish-killing fungus.

Subrata Chowdhury said he and his colleagues at RPS Biologiques in Charlottetown have developed a plant-based treatment called Saprotect for the Saprolegnia fungus.

The fungus infects fish or its eggs, and often looks like a light gray, mould or cotton-like growth. It is known to cause problems in salmon farming operations around the world.

Chowdhury said the fungus is usually treated with the chemical formalin, a type of formaldehyde. But he wanted to look for an alternative.

"Nowadays, people are using a lot of herbal medicine," he said.

Treatment idea originates in India

Chowdhury said he developed Saprotect from anti-fungal plant materialsused in India.

He studied the materials until he found a procedure to use them on the fish.

The ingredients are a trade secret, butall of them are availableon the Islandand are on Health Canada's natural product list, he said.

Saprotect also does not affect the fish, he said.

"It is just used on the fungus itself, no other tissues are touched," he said.

"It just stops the replication of the fungus."

Preparing for last tests

Randy Peach, an aquaculture consultant, said there are limited treatment options that combat the fungus.

But he cautioned that the product "is still in its early stages and needs to go through proper approval."

Chowdhury said he has worked on the development of Saprotect for two years and the product is now going through its final trials. He hopes it can soon get approved for sale.

Eventually, he wants to sell it across Canada and North America and expand to a worldwide market. Production, he said,would remain on the Island.

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