CATFISH INDUSTRY IS THE LARGEST AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY IN THE U.S. CONTRIBUTING 74% OF TOTAL FINFISH PRODUCTION. CHANNEL CATFISH VIRUS (CCV) IS THE MOST RELEVANT VIRUS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT MORTALITIES IN CATFISH FRY AND FINGERLINGS WITH DISEASE OUTBREAKS HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO WIPE OUT A PRODUCTION FACILITY. THE CURRENT UNAVAILABILITY OF THERAPEUTIC MEASURES AND COMMERCIAL VACCINES AGAINST CCV IS CAUSING GREAT CONCERN TO CATFISH PRODUCERS. THIS PROJECT ENVISIONS TO PROVIDE DETAILED INFORMATION ON CCV TRANSMISSION AND PATHOGENESIS TO DEVELOP CCV-TARGETED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, WHICH WILL REDUCE VIRUS-ASSOCIATED PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC LOSSES. EFFECTIVE DISINFECTION PROTOCOLS, BROODSTOCK IMMUNIZATION, IDENTIFICATION OF LESS SUSCEPTIBLE CATFISH POPULATIONS, AND EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS FACTORS TRIGGERING CCV DISEASE OUTBREAKS WOULD DIRECT THE INDUSTRY TO EMPLOY THE BEST PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES TO LIMIT DISEASE INCIDENCES. THIS WORK WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS ON CCV TRANSMISSION, BASED ON WHICH OPTIMAL FISH EGG DISINFECTION STRATEGIES WILL BE DEVELOPED TO REDUCE VIRUS SPREAD. THE PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY TRANSFERRED BY IMMUNIZATION OF CATFISH BROODSTOCK MIGHT REDUCE MORTALITY IN PROGENY (EGGS, FRY, AND FINGERLINGS) FROM SUBSEQUENT CCV OUTBREAKS. COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR CATFISH FARMERS, FISH DISEASE DIAGNOSTICIANS, AND RESEARCHERS IN THIS FIELD. PROJECT WILL DEVELOP BROODSTOCK VACCINATION AND FISH EGG DISINFECTION PROTOCOLS FOR HATCHERIES, WHICH WILL BE READY FOR TRANSFER TO INDUSTRY. PROJECT OUTCOMES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE PROFITABILITY, ENSURE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VIABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF CATFISH INDUSTRY AND THEREBY BENEFIT THE U.S. AQUACULTURE.