Diseases of Fish (Control) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations implement in respect of Northern Ireland Council Directive 93/53/EEC (O.J. No. L175, 19.7.93, p. 23) introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases, to the extent that it is not implemented by existing legislation.

The Regulations—

(a) require that an official census be conducted and a record kept, and updated, of the fish populations on farms which are suspected of being infected with fish diseases (regulation 3 and Schedule 2);

(b) set out the control measures to be taken when the presence of a disease listed in Part I of Schedule 3 is suspected on a farm (regulation 4 and Schedule 4);

(c) set out the control measures to be taken when the presence of a disease listed in Part I of Schedule 3 is confirmed on a farm (regulation 5 and Schedule 5);

(d) set out the control measures to be taken when the presence of a disease listed in Part II of Schedule 3 is suspected in an approved zone or on an approved farm (i.e., a zone or farm which has obtained approved status under Council Directive 91/67/EEC (O.J. No. L46, 19.2.91, p. 1) concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products) in a non-approved zone (regulation 6 and Schedule 4);

(e) set out the control measures to be taken when the presence of a disease listed in Part II of Schedule 3 is confirmed in an approved zone or on an approved farm in a non-approved zone (regulation 7 and Schedule 5);

(f) set out the control measures to be taken when a disease listed in Part II of Schedule 3 is suspected at a non-approved farm in a non-approved zone (regulation 8);

(g) set out the control measures to be taken when a disease listed in Schedule 3 is suspected or confirmed amongst fish in the wild (regulation 9);

(h) prohibit the vaccination of fish against diseases (regulation 10);

(i) provide powers for the enforcement of these Regulations including powers of entry (regulations 11 to 13);

(j) provide that contravention of any provisions of the Regulations or any notice served under them shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000) (regulation 14).