ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how many of the principles of health maintenance can be applied to aquaculture. In an aquatic environment, there is a profound and inverse relationship between environmental quality and disease status of fish. As environmental conditions deteriorate, severity of infectious diseases increases; sound health maintenance practices are play a major role in maintaining a suitable environment where healthy fish is grown. Maintaining health in a fish population is a positive concept that will result in more efficient production, rather than the mere prevention of disease. Fish react to stress in different ways, depending on the severity and length of exposure to the stressor. Choosing the proper site for an aquaculture facility is paramount to its success. Topography of the land, quality of the soil, water quality and abundance, and a proximity to the market that will be served are primary factors that must be considered when choosing the location for an aquaculture facility.
