Council Directive 2006/88/ECShow full title

Council Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October 2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals

ANNEX IIIU.K.

PART AU.K.Health status of aquaculture zones or compartments to be considered for the application of Article 12Aquaculture animals for farming and restocking

CategoryHealth statusMay introduce animals fromHealth certificationMay dispatch animals to
IntroductionDispatching
I

Disease-free

(Articles 49 or 50)

Only category IYESNO when dispatched to category III or VAll categories
YES when dispatched to categories I, II or IV
II

Surveillance Programme

(Article 44(1))

Only category IYESNOCategories III and V
III

Undetermined

(not known to be infected but not subject to a programme for achieving disease-free status)

Categories I, II, or IIINONOCategories III and V
IV

Eradication Programme

(Article 44(2))

Only category IYESYESOnly category V
V

Infected

(Article 39)

All categoriesNOYESOnly category V

PART BU.K.Recommended surveillance and inspections on farms and mollusc-farming areas

Species presentHealth status as referred to in Part ARisk levelSurveillanceRecommended inspection frequency by the competent authority (Article 7)Recommended inspection frequency by qualified aquatic animal health services (Article 10)Specific requirements for inspections, sampling and surveillance necessary to maintain the health statusComments
No species susceptible to the diseases listed in Annex IV

Category I

Declared disease-free in accordance with Article 49(1)(a) or (b) or Article 50(1)(a) or (b).

LowPassive1 every 4 years1 every 4 yearsSpecific requirements for the maintenance of the disease-free status in accordance with Article 52.

The recommended inspection frequencies shall apply without prejudice to the specific requirements mentioned for each health status.

However, where possible, such inspections and sampling should be combined with the inspections required pursuant to Articles 7 and 10.

The aim of inspections by the competent authority is to check compliance with this Directive in accordance with Article 7.

The aim of inspections by qualified aquatic animal health services is to check the health status of the animals, to advise the aquaculture production business operator on aquatic animal health issues, and where necessary, undertake the necessary veterinary measures.

Species susceptible to one or more of the diseases listed in Annex IV

Category I

Declared disease-free in accordance with of Article 49(1)(c) or of Article 50(1)(c).

HighActive, targeted or passive1 every year1 every year
Medium1 every 2 years1 every 2 years
Low1 every 4 years1 every 2 years

Category II

Not declared disease-free but subject to a surveillance programme approved in accordance with Article 44(1).

HighTargeted1 every year1 every yearSpecific requirements in accordance with Article 44(1).
Medium1 every 2 years1 every 2 years
Low1 every 4 years1 every 2 years

Category III

Not known to be infected but not subject to surveillance programme for achieving disease-free status.

HighActive1 every year3 every year
Medium1 every year2 every year
Low1 every 2 years1 every year

Category IV

Known to be infected but subject to an eradication programme approved in accordance with Article 44(2).

HighTargeted1 every year1 every yearSpecific requirements in accordance with Article 44(2).
Medium1 every 2 years1 every 2 years
Low1 every 4 years1 every 2 years

Category V

Known to be infected. Subject to minimum control measures as provided for in Chapter V.

HighPassive1 every 4 years1 every yearSpecific requirements in accordance with Chapter V.
Medium1 every 4 years1 every 2 years
Low1 every 4 years1 every 4 years

Risk levelsU.K.

A high-risk farm or mollusc farming area is a farm or mollusc farming area which:

(a)

has a high risk of spreading diseases to or contracting diseases from other farms or wild stocks;

(b)

operates under farming conditions which could increase the risk of disease outbreaks (high biomass, low water quality), taking into account the species present;

(c)

sells live aquatic animals for further farming or restocking.

A medium-risk farm or mollusc farming area is a farm or mollusc farming area which:

(a)

has medium risk of spreading diseases to or contracting diseases from other farms or wild stocks;

(b)

operates under farming conditions which would not necessarily increase the risk of disease outbreaks (medium biomass and water quality), taking into account the species present;

(c)

sells live aquatic animals mainly for human consumption.

A low-risk farm of mollusc farming area is a farm or mollusc farming area which:

(a)

has a low risk of spreading diseases to or contracting diseases from other farms or wild stocks;

(b)

operates under farming conditions which would not increase the risk of disease outbreaks (low biomass, good water quality), taking into account the species present;

(c)

sells live aquatic animals for human consumption only.

Types of health surveillanceU.K.

Passive surveillance shall include mandatory immediate notification of the occurrence or suspicion of specified diseases or of any increased mortalities. In such cases investigation in accordance with Section 2 of Chapter V shall be required.

Active surveillance shall include:

(a)

routine inspection by the competent authority or by other qualified health services on behalf of the competent authorities;

(b)

examination of the aquaculture animal population on the farm or in the mollusc farming area for clinical disease;

(c)

diagnostic samples to be collected on suspicion of a listed disease or observed increased mortality during inspection;

(d)

mandatory immediate notification of occurrence or suspicion of specified diseases or of any increased mortalities.

Targeted surveillance shall include:

(a)

routine inspection by the competent authority or by other qualified health services on behalf of the competent authorities;

(b)

prescribed samples of aquaculture animals to be taken and tested for specific pathogen(s) by specified methods;

(c)

mandatory immediate notification of occurrence or suspicion of specified diseases or of any increased mortalities.