Bacteriophages as biocontrol agents of bacterial contaminants of bivalves and their microalgal feeds

A FAO 2024 report1 noted that aquaculture production worldwide has excelled, and aquaculture produced surpassed captured fish resulting in an increase of 4.4% in 2022 compared to 2020. Production comprised 185.4 × 106 tonnes of aquatic animals and 37.8 × 106 tonnes of algae, which is also used as feed in the industry. These figures indicate that aquaculture production will continue to expand and will be one of the fastest growing sectors for food-production into coming decades. Bivalve molluscs will likely remain a major component of this production. However, the microbial infestation of bivalves and their microalgal feeds and subsequent disease occurrences are of significant concern. This article highlights the use of bacteriophages to eliminate pathogenic bacterial species in environments where bivalves are cultivated so they can be protected from bacterial diseases.