Aquatic Environment
The Department of Aquatic Environment, established in 2009, is well equipped with advanced lab facilities and is imparting quality education in various fields like aquatic ecology; diseases diagnosis, surveillance and treatment; aquatic environment health management; aquatic pollution assessment; anti-microbial resistance, food safety and wastewater treatment. The major research focus includes application of environment friendly microorganisms (probiotics, bacteriophages, biofloc) and nutraceuticals in aquaculture nutrition and health management to enhance productivity and food safety; along with development of novel vaccines and rapid disease diagnostic tools.
Goals
- Production of healthy/disease free fishes through application of fish health management and disease prevention/treatment strategies and improvement of water quality by bioremediation.
Thrust Area
- Survey of microbial diversity and potential pathogens in aquatic environment
- Development of vaccines and farmer level assays for fish/shellfish disease diagnosis
- Alternative phage and probiotic based approach for control of bacterial pathogens
- Assessment of environmental impact /xenobiotics on fish biomarkers
- Aquatic animal health surveillance and reporting in the State
Aquatic Environment

Dr. Vaneet Inder Kaur
Address : Head (Additional Charge) of Department of Aquatic Environment, College of Fisheries, GADVASU, Ludhiana
Email: vaneetinderkaur@gadvasu.in
Call: +91-161-2414061
Brief Introduction :
Dr. Vaneet Inder Kaur, Principal Scientist (Fisheries) is holding the Charge of Head, Department of Aquatic Environment since December 11, 2017. During 19 years of her professional career, she had been actively involved in teaching, research, extension and administrative activities. She has guided 07 M.F.Sc. and 4 Ph.D. students and presently 03 M.F.Sc. and 02 Ph.D. students are working under her guidance. She is teaching over 15 UG/PG courses for the last 16 years. She has handled nine research projects as PI and Co-I including 1 UGC and 4 ICAR. She has also worked as Co-I under ICAR’s prestigious Niche Area of Excellence Project entitled “Inland Aquaculture in Punjab”, besides 2 RKVY projects as PI. She has made significant research contributions in developing Culture, Breeding and Seed Production Technologies for Ornamental Fish in the region,developed low cost grow out diets by utilizing locally available non-conventional feed resources like duckweeds for semi-intensive carp poly culture, standardization of culture and breeding technologies for indigenous catfish species. The developed technologies have also been successfully demonstrated/transferred and adopted at farm levels. She is working on different aspects of fish nutrition for enhanced fish growth and health status. Besides publishing quality research papers (51) in referred journals, she has other publications to her credit including book/book chapters(05), technical/extension booklets/articles/pamphlets (62), and teaching/training manuals (05). She is also looking after the demonstration farm of College of Fisheries as Farm Incharge. Being an active researcher & extension worker, she is Chairperson, Research & Extension Committee, College of Fisheries and Technical co-ordinator of Innovative Fish Farmers Association (IFFA), Punjab, conducted Training programmes (25), delivered TV/radio talks (52), besides active participation in workshops, Pashu Palan Melas, Demonstrations, Invited lectures, On/off campus Consultancy assignments, Farm visits etc. She has also conducted 04 compulsory, 15 days educational tours of UG (B.F.Sc.) students, besides providing regular guidance and inputs for grooming them for extra-curricular activities. She has also 01 edited book to her credit on “Best Management Practices for Freshwater Ornamental Fish Production”, published during 2016 by National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad. Recognizing her professional merits, she was selected and attended 2 months training Programme on “Nutraceuticals” at Ghent University, Belgium sponsored by NAIP (ICAR), New Delhi in year 2014. She was conferred with Promising Lady Fisheries Scientist award by Vets Club, GADVASU, Ludhiana during April 29, 2017 and “Best Teacher Award” & “Best Extension Worker Award” for the year 2017-18 by GADVASU, Ludhiana and Fellow Indian Ecological Society, PAU, Ludhiana in 2022. She is life member of professional societies and referee of National/International journals
Faculty Detail

Dr. Naveen Kumar B.T.
Designation : Assistant Professor (Fisheries)
Contact Address : Department of Aquatic Environment, College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141004
Telephone : 0161-2414061
Mobile : 9844131671
Email : naveenkumar@gadvasu.in, naveenkumarbt2022@yahoo.com
Academic Credentials
- Graduation: Bachelor of Fisheries Science (B.F.Sc),
- Post-graduation: Master of Fisheries Science (Aquaculture)- Evaluated the Efficacy of an Organic Immunostimulant on Shellfish Growth, Immune Response, and Viral Pathogen Suppression
- PhD: Aquaculture- Developed fish vaccine against the bacterial pathogen
Teaching appointments
- Fish Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Aquatic animal Disease Management, Disease diagnosis and health management, Fish Pharmacology, Aquatic animal quarantine and certification, Fish immunology, Therapeutics in Aquaculture, Aquatic animal disease surveillance and epidemiology.
Other appointments
- Associate Scientist: Abexome, Biosciences PVT. Ltd., Bangalore
- Assistant Professor (Contract): Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University
Area of research
- Aquatic Animal Health Management
- Aquatic Animal Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology
- Vaccine Development for Aquatic Animals
- Development of Diagnostic Kits for Aquatic Animal Diseases
- Fish Pharmacology Research
- Aquatic Animal Quarantine and Certification Protocols
- Research in Fish Immunology
- Therapeutics Development in Aquaculture
- Advancements in Fish Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
Ongoing projects
Sr.
No. |
PI/Co-PI |
Title
of Project |
Funding
Agency |
Period |
1 |
PI |
“Development of farmer level
monoclonal antibody based flow through immunoassay for detection of Vibrio
parahaemolyticus- the causative agent of shrimp EMS” |
DST-SERB (14.91 lakhs) |
3 years 4 months (2015-2018) |
2 |
PI |
National Surveillance Programme for
Aquatic Animal Diseases-Phase I |
PMMSY through ICAR (40.73 Lakhs) |
3 years 9 months (2018-2022) |
3 |
PI |
Nanoparticle based novel oral biofilm
recombinant vaccine model for aquaculture |
DST-SYST (32.78 lakhs) |
3 years 10 months (2018-2022) |
4 |
Co-PI |
Development of biotechnology
intervention strategies to enhance the safety and shelf life of fishery
products |
RKVY (24.83 lakhs) |
3 years (2017-2020) |
5 |
PI |
Advanced research work on vaccine
development |
Institutional (5 Lakhs) |
1 year (2023-2024) |
6 |
PI |
National Surveillance Programme for
Aquatic Animal Diseases-Phase II |
PMMSY through ICAR (47.00 lakhs) |
3 Years (2022-2025) |
Research honours awards
- Best Poster Award in 8TH DAA Symposium
- Alltech Young Scientist Award
- Scientist of the year award - Society of biological sciences and rural development, India
- Certificate of reviewing award - Fish and Shellfish Immunology, Elsevier, Amsterdam. The Netherlands
- Certificate of outstanding contribution in reviewing award - Fish and Shellfish Immunology, Elsevier, Amsterdam. The Netherlands
- Acting as observer in Executive Committee of Asian Fisheries Society - Fish Health Section for the period of 2022 to 2025.
No of publications
Research: 50 | Extension: 13 | Books Chapter: 04 | Manuals: 03 |
---|
Publication
- Nevil Pinto, M., Ganapathi Naik, Naveen Kumar, B.T., Shankar, K.M., Rakesh, K., Abhiman, P.B., Sathish, R.P., Ramesh, K.S. (2023). Oxytetracycline efficacy and preliminary establishment of pharmacokinetic residues in tropical fish, Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822), Aquaculture, Volume 571, 739481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2023.739481. Impact factor 5.1, NAAS: 10.24
- Kumar, N.B.T., Thakur, N., Sharma, C., Shanthanagouda, A.H., Taygi, A., and Singh A. (2022). Effect of dietary chitosan nanoparticles on immune response and disease resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila infection in tropical herbivore fish (rohu, Labeo rohita). Aquaculture International, 30, 2439–2452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-022-00910-x. Impact Factor 2.90; NAAS rating: 8.24
- Kumar, N.B.T., Nishchal Thakur, Prabjeet Singh, Shanthanagouda, A. H., Anuj Tyagi, Meera D. Ansal, Deepa Bhatt, Prince Pal Singh and Amandeep Kaur (2021). Prevalence and incidences of shellfish diseases in shrimp farmed in inland saline waters of Punjab : A case study. Journal of Experimental Zoology India, 24, 1601-1609. DocID: https://connectjournals.com/03895.2021.24.1601 (http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1394) NAAS: 5.25
- Kaur, B., Naveen Kumar, B.T., Tyagi A., Admane Holeyappa S., Singh N.K (2021). Identification of novel vaccine candidates in the whole-cell Aeromonas hydrophila biofilm vaccine through reverse vaccinology approach. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 114 (Jul), 132-141. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2021.04.019. Epub 2021 Apr 29. PMID: 33932598. (http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1397): IF: 4.6; NAAS rating: 10.58
- Girisha, S.K., Kushala, K.B., Nithin, M.S., Puneeth, T.G., Naveen Kumar, B.T., Vinay, T.N., Suresh, T., Ajay, S.K., Venugopal, M.N., Ramesh, K.S (2021). First report of the infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) infection in ornamental fishes in India. Transboundary Emerging Diseases, 68(2), 964-972. doi: 10.1111/tbed.13793. Epub 2020 Sep 5. PMID: 33448668. (http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1401) NAAS: 10.19; IF: 4.5; NAAS rating: 11.01
- Rai, S., Tyagi, A., Kalia, A., Naveen Kumar, B. T., Garg, P., & Singh N.K. (2020). Characterization and genome sequencing of three Aeromonas hydrophila?specifc phages, CF8, PS1, and PS2. Archives of Virology, 165,1675–1678. (http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/888) NAAS: 8.57; IF: 2.6
- Kamsagara Hanumanthappa, S., Naveen Kumar, B.T., Patil, P., Satish Rama Poojary, Abhiman, P.B., Ramesh, K. S., Shankar, K. M., Anuj Tyagi and Shanthanagouda, A H. (2020). Polyclonal antibody?based farmer?friendly flow?through test for the detection of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in shrimp. Aquaculture Research, 51 (7), 2863-2869. DOI: 10.1111/are.14625. IF: 2.1; NAAS rating: 8.08
- Nithin, M.S., Girisha, S.K., Kushala, K.B., Chandan, D.V., Puneeth, T.G., Naveen Kumar, B.T., Vinay, T.N., Suresh, T., Lopamudra Sahoo, Ramesh, K.S. (2021). Novel lytic bacteriophages (AhFM4 & AhFM5) as bio-control measures against multidrug resistant biofilm producing Aeromonas hydrophila (AhZ1K). Aquaculture, 544, 737106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.737106. (http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1403) NAAS: 10.24; IF: 5.1
- Ram, M.K., Naveen Kumar, B.T., Poojary, S.R., Abhiman P. B., Prakash Patil, Ramesh K.S. and Shankar K.M. (2019). Evaluation of biofilm of Vibrio anguiilarum for oral vaccination of Asian Sea bass, Lates calcarifer (BLOCH 1970). Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 94, 746-51. IF: 4.6; NAAS rating: 10.58
- Adil, B., Shankar, K. M., Naveen Kumar, B.T., Rajreddy Patil, Abhiman Ballyaya, Ramesh, K.S., Satish., Omkar V Byadgi, Prabhugouda Siriyappagouder. (2013). Development and standardization of monoclonal antibody based rapid flow through immunoassay for field level detection of Aphanomyces invadans-causative agent of EUS. Journal of Veterinary Science, 14 (4), 413-419. NAAS rating: 7.67; IF: 1.8
Aquatic Environment
Former Faculty
Sr. No. | Name | Designation | Superannuation/ Transfer/ Promotion | Photograph |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Dr. Anuj Tyagi | Assistant Professor | Promoted to Associate Professor at Datia, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi |
Aquatic Environment
Completed
- National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases – Phase I
- Nanoparticle based novel oral bio-film recombinant vaccine model for aquaculture
- Development of phage-based strategies for biocontrol of antibiotic resistant Aeromonas species in fishery products
- National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases-Phase-II
Aquatic Environment
- GADVASU is one of the 19 State partners for prestigious ICAR – NFDB Network Project – National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) under PMMSY scheme in Phase I and II
- A Rapid Diagnostic Kit for farm site diagnosis and timely management of Shrimp Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) / Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) developed to prevent stock loss to disease outbreaks.
- Technology for Chitosan Nanoparticle based Immuno-Stimulant (Feed Additive) - Developed and Validated - Technology sold to DeNOVO Lab, Bangalore, Karnataka for 7 years on non-exclusive basis for commercialization
- Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio parahaemolyticus specific phages (11 each) isolated, characterized and tested successfully, with potential scope of application in aquaculture health management, as an effective organic alternate to curtail antibiotic use.
- Herbal feed additives (garlic, amla, ashwaganda, Aloe vera, turmeric, shatavari, neem and ginger) tested successfully to boost fish growth and immunity/health, leading to higher production and reproductive performance.
Aquatic Environment
Training Programme (Capacity Building/Skill Development)
- Fish Health Management
- Aqua Clinics
Shrimp Seed Screening
- Surveillance of Aquatic Animal Disease under NSPAAD
- Demonstrations/Technical Hand Holding
- Farm Visits & Consultancy
- Awareness Camps and Surveys
- Publications – Extension Articles, Pamphlets, Brochures, Booklets, News articles, Advisories on FB etc.
- Expert Lectures – Trainings, TV/Radio Talks
Aquatic Environment
Aquatic Environment
Aquatic Environment