Safeguarding Animal Health

Aquatic Animal Health National Aquatic Animal Health Plan (NAAHP)

Dr. Jill RollandDirector, Aquaculture Swine Equine & Poultry Programs

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services

Federal Advisory Committee for Animal Health

January 21st, 2010

Safeguarding Animal Health

Introduction

• What is Aquaculture?• Why is APHIS involved in aquaculture?

Safeguarding Animal Health

Safeguarding Animal Health

Safeguarding Animal Health

Safeguarding Animal Health

Aquatic Species Raised in the United States

• #1 – Catfish• Salmon• Trout• Hybrid Striped Bass• Tilapia• Sturgeon• Eels• Baitfish (carp, minnows, golden shiners, etc.)• Ornamental fish (koi carp, goldfish, zebra danios, etc.)• Mollusks (mussels, oysters, clams, geoducks)• Crustaceans (shrimp, freshwater shrimp, crawfish, artemia)

Safeguarding Animal Health

2002 Animal Health Protection Act

• Consolidates a number of previous statutes• Defines “Livestock” to include all farm raised

animals• Defines “Animal” to include all members of the

animal kingdom except humans• Provides clear statutory and regulatory authority to

provide services to aquatic industries

Safeguarding Animal Health

National Science and Technology Council

Subcommittee on Aquaculture

Safeguarding Animal Health

Purpose and Scope

• National Aquaculture Act of 1980: created interagency coordinating group named Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture

• Purpose: increase the overall effectiveness and productivity of Federal aquaculture research, technology transfer and assistance programs

• Scope: Address critical issues of national and regional importance through interagency collaboration and stakeholder

consultations

Safeguarding Animal Health

Interagency Collaboration Focus

Quarterly meetings with 20+ invited federal agencies

Form task forces, working groups or special projects as frameworks for interagency initiatives

Examples: Aquaculture Effluents Task Force (1999-2005) Working Group on Aquaculture Drugs, Biologics and

Pesticides (1990-2008) National Aquatic Animal Health Plan for Aquaculture

Task Force (implementation) National Aquaculture Science and Technology Task Force

(ongoing)

National Aquatic Animal Health Plan for Aquaculture Task Force

Safeguarding Animal Health

NAAHP - Mission

• Facilitate the legal movement of all aquatic animals, their eggs, and their products in interstate and international commerce.

• Protect the health and thereby improve the quality and productivity of farmed and wild aquatic animals.

• Ensure the availability of diagnostic, inspection, and certification services.

• Minimize the impacts of diseases when they occur in farmed or wild aquatic animals.

Safeguarding Animal Health

NAAHP

The NAAHP is not a regulation

It provides general principles and guidelines

STATUS

- notice of availability was published August 21st 2008.

- 27 comments were received.

- Implementation ongoing pending funding.

Safeguarding Animal Health

NAAHP Organization

1. Introduction2. Roles, Responsibilities, &

Authorities3. Aquatic Animal Disease of

Concern4. Surveillance5. Disease Prevention, Control,

& Management

6. Zonation

7. Research & Development

8. Outreach & Awareness

9. Education & Training

10. Implementation

The Plan is organized into 10 chapters:

Safeguarding Animal Health

Chapter 4 – Diseases of Concern• Reportable and Program Diseases• Suggested List of Program Diseases:

Epizootic hematopoietic necrosis (exotic to the U.S.)Infectious hematopoietic necrosisOncorhynchus masou virus disease (exotic to the U.S.)Spring viremia of carpViral hemorrhagic septicemiaViral encephalopathy and retinopathy Infectious pancreatic necrosisInfectious salmon anemiaRed sea bream iridoviral disease (exotic to the U.S.)Channel catfish virus diseaseWhite sturgeon iridoviral diseaseBacterial kidney disease (Renibacterium salmoninarum)Enteric septicemia of catfish (Edwardsiella ictaluri)Piscirickettsiosis (Piscirickettsia salmonis)Epizootic ulcerative syndromeGyrodactylosis (exotic to the U.S.)Emerging disease that fits the criteria in Section 4.2.1 B.

Safeguarding Animal Health

NAAHP

3 primary recommendations:

• Creation of a National Advisory Committee

• Development of a national aquatic health laboratory network.

• Development of a secure application suite

Safeguarding Animal Health

Secure Application Suite

• Initiated in Fiscal Year 2010

• Intended to provide states, tribes, industry, the Federal government and other stakeholders with the tools necessary to:• support reporting of aquatic animal diseases• protect aquatic animal resources• support movement and certification documentation• produce reports, maps and other documentation for

surveillance and disease management purposes.

Safeguarding Animal Health

National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory Network

• System to meet international requirements• Consistency for interstate requirements• Standardized system for routine testing

– Comparable results– Confidence in results

• Aquaculture lab working group, subset of USAHA-AAVLD Aquaculture Committee

Safeguarding Animal Health

National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory Network

• Provide a network of approved labs– Standard Procedures

• OIE Methods and Protocols• Bluebook

– Training– Quality Assurance/Quality Control

• Lab equipment, record keeping, reagents

– Data Storage and Accessibility

Safeguarding Animal Health

National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory Network

1.Completion of draft plan Sept 2009

2.USAHA Resolution Sept 2009

3.VHS technical working group met June 2010

4.Next steps: need input on further implementation

Safeguarding Animal Health

Need for a Subcommittee on Aquatic Animal Health

• Prioritize implementation of elements of the NAAHP• Recommend how testing protocols developed by the National

Aquatic Animal Pathogen Testing Network (NAAPTN) could be implemented

• Provide advice to APHIS and Federal Partners on appropriate action to finding Program Aquatic Animal Pathogens listed in the NAAHP

Safeguarding Animal Health