Abstract

Aeromonas salmonicida was not detected in wild wrasse sampled at eleven locations in British waters but was isolated from Ctenolabrus rupestris, Centrolabrus exoletus and Labrus bimaculatus, stocked as cleaner fish in Atlantic salmon farms in western Scotland. Sensitivities of bacteria to antibiotics were identical to the bacterial strains isolated from salmon stocked in the same sea cages. Skin lesions typical of chronic furunculosis were observed in the wrasse and large numbers of bacterial colonies were present in internal organs. A mean total mortality of 18.8% (range 4.3-37.7%) attributed to A. salmonicida was recorded over 17 weeks through winter in a farm in Loch Torridon.