Emergence of antibiotic resistance among aquaculture pathogens has made it necessary to look into environment friendly, effective and sustainable methods such as probiotic and immunostimulants among others.. In the present study, LAB were isolated from the gut of fish species namely Rastrelliger kanagurta and analyzed for their antibacterial activity against various fish, shrimp and human pathogens. Different LAB species such as Lactobacillus plantarum, L. bulgaricus, L. brevis and L. viridiscens were encountered in the gut of R. kanagurta.Several strains showed good activity against fish, shrimp and human pathogens. LAB from the gut of such marine species may be developed as possible probiont for environment friendly health management of fresh water, estuarine and marine species currently exploited in aquaculture.

Rastrelliger kanagurta, lactic acid bacteria, probiotic, antimicrobial activity, pathogen, shrimp, fish.