Background: Antibiotic residue in food products and the resulting antibiotic-resistant bacteria represent a significant global public health threat. The misuse of antibiotics is a primary contributor to this issue. This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotic use among cage fish farmers on Ghana’s Volta Lake. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 91 cage fish farmers across three scales: small, medium, and large. A semi-structured questionnaire complemented by personal observations provided comprehensive data. We used several statistical methods for analysis: Pearson Chi-Square and Spearman correlation tests to examine relationships and trends among variables, logistic regression to analyze variable interactions, and Cronbach’s alpha to check internal consistency. Additionally, Kendall’s coefficient was used to rank challenges, utilizing STATA and SPSS for these calculations. Results: The survey revealed that 58.55% of cage fish farmers earn an average of 10,000 USD annually, with 35.16% having over 16 years of experience. From the survey, all sampled populations admitted to antibiotic applications in their farming operation. Knowledge of antibiotic types was mainly influenced by peers (46.15%), with tetracycline being the most recognized and used. There was a significant reliance on the empirical use of antibiotics, with 52.75% of farmers using them based on personal experience and 40.66% without a prescription. When initial treatments failed, 41.76% of the farmers would change or combine drugs. Older farmers (over 51 years) and those with tertiary education demonstrated significantly better KAP scores regarding antibiotic use. Strong correlations were also found among knowledge, attitudes, and practices in antibiotic usage. Conclusions: The findings indicate a need for improved education on antibiotic use among fish farmers to reduce misuse and enhance awareness of the potential consequences. This study provides foundational data for designing interventions to address these issues in the context of cage fish farming on Volta Lake.

The goal of this study was to assess common endoparasites on Tilapia zillii in the Tono Reservoir, as well as to investigate the mean intensity and prevalence of these parasites. A total of 175 fish specimens were examined during the study. Endoparasites of three metazoans and one protozoan were observed from the Tilapia zillii gills, intestines, and stomach. The findings showed that the most common endoparasites affecting Tilapia zillii are Ichthyopthirius multifiliis, Bothriocephalus sp., Contracaecum sp., and Dactylogyrus sp. Also, Contracaecum sp had the highest prevalence of 29.71, followed by Bothriocephalus sp (18.86), Ichthyopthirius multifiliis (12), and Dactylogyrus sp (6.86). The average quantity of Bothriocephalus sp was 0.84, Contracaecum sp was 1.33, Dactylogyrus sp was 0.31, and Ichthyopthirius multifiliis was 0.54. The reservoir's physicochemical parameters changed every month due to inflows and other runoffs joining. Low levels of these parameters were discovered to influence the prevalence and distribution of these parasites. Haematological parameters showed significant changes between the adult and fingerling groups, where it was observed an improvement in health status in the adult group. It was also observed that fingerlings (0.1–20 g) were more infected, which significantly affected their blood profile. Keywords: Tilapia zillii, endoparasite, blood profile, pathogenic effects, environmental stress

Fish begin to degrade the moment they are removed from the water. It requires extensive post-harvest processing to extend its shelf life and maintain its quality. Freezing, smoking, canning, sun-drying, pickling, and salting are the most common methods of preserving fish. The ability of fresh Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia), a popular fish food in Ghana, to be preserved by ginger (Zingiber officinale) paste was investigated. Fresh fish samples were collected from the Bontanga reservoir's landing site and were divided into two; the ginger paste group and untreated group (control) kept at room temperature in a laboratory environment. During storage, fish samples from both the ginger-treated and control groups were subjected to daily physical inspection, proximate analysis, and microbiological quality testing. After the ginger treatment, the fish had a three-day longer shelf life. The fresh fish that had not been treated (the control) had spoiled by the end of the second day, showing signs of severe physical deterioration and maggot infestation in the flesh. Microbial research also revealed that all treated samples had a lower mean microbial population than untreated samples. In contrast to 10.50 x 105 cfu/cm2 for the treated sample, the total Escherichia coli (EC) count for the untreated sample was 70.25 x 105 cfu/cm2. This demonstrates that the ginger paste gradually slowed microorganism growth in the treated samples. The study found that ginger has bactericidal and anti-spoilage properties against conditions and microbes that cause fish to spoil. Future research could alter the concentration, lengthen the study period, and include different fish species. Keywords: Tilapia, Ginger, Microbes, Preservation

Soil nutrient management is required to maintain the plant system's constant productivity while also maintaining good soil quality. This study documented the effluent quality, soil quality, growth, shelf life and proximate analysis of Amaranthus palmeri as well as the effect of the resulting nutrients on soil properties, growth, and yield. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized block design, with four factors (tilapia effluent, combination of effluent and NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer, only fertilizer and only tap water) each at six replicate per treatment (T1-T6: Tilapia effluent, T7-T12: Tilapia effluent + fertilizer, T13-T18: Only fertilizer and T19-T24: Only tap water) at the University for Development Studies fish farm on the Nyankpala campus. During the experimental period, the growth characteristics such as number of seed emergence, plant height, number of leaves, fresh biomass before and after sheflife and the proximate analysis of Amaranthus palmeri were evaluated. The soil properties and effluent nutrient content were measured and compared before and after experiment. Field and laboratory results on growth indices measured, shelf life and proximate analysis of Amaranthus palmeri, soil nutrient properties, effluent and tap water nutrient measured were statistically analysed with ANOVA and Duncan Multiple Range Test at (P < 0.05). The findings indicate that tilapia effluent significantly influenced all the growth parameters measured compared to other treatment at (P < 0.05). Sheflife and proximate analysis were enhanced in tilapia treated plant. Soil quality such as soil pH, percentage nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium concentration was significantly enhanced in the tilapia effluent treatment. The findings therefore suggests that tilapia effluent has the potential to improve soil quality, improve growth and shelf life of Amaranthus palmeri as an additional benefit of culturing Nile tilapia.