Sanitary quality improvement of fish produced in the northern Benin cotton basin water reservoirs by cage culture and fish transfer in agricultural contaminant-free water: human health implications.

Northern Benin water reservoirs may remain valuable resources for fish production if the ecotoxicological risks related to agricultural pesticides are eradicated. The present work was undertaken (i) to evaluate sanitary quality and human health implications of fish (Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus) reared in cages compared with those produced in pens installed in a contaminated water reservoir (Batran) and a reference water reservoir (Songhaï) and (ii) to test the efficacy of fish transferring to water without agricultural contaminants on fish health status. Pathogenic bacteria and pesticide residues were analyzed by phenotypic and biochemical identification and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, respectively.