Sanitary prescriptions and procedures for transfer and safety standards - aquaexcel (D3.1)

Introduction The sanitary prescriptions and procedures for transfer, and safety standards in the framework of the Project "Aquaculture infrastructures for excellence in European fish research (AQUAEXCEL)" of Seventh Framework Programme aims to define the optimum conditions in terms of health and welfare for the transport of fish and/or germplasm by means of regulations for the safe transport between the different research centres of the project members. The sanitary measures featured are based on the standards officially approved by European Legislation, with specific reference to European Directive 2006/88 EC and the World Assembly of Delegates of the OIE. The purpose of this work was to make it easier for the different researchers of the AQUAEXCEL project to draw up sanitary measures applicable to the movement of fish and/or germplasm between the different research centers belonging to the AQUAEXCEL Project. Materials and methods This work (Deliverable 3.1; AquaExcel Project, 2013) includes a description of the main diseases that affect the fish species included in the AQUAEXCEL Project and corresponding methods of diagnosis, paying particular attention to the diseases identified by the research centres in the initial survey, as well as criteria to evaluate harmlessness in the transport of fish and germplasm, the welfare of the farmed fish during transport and the disinfection of eggs. Results The recommendations take into consideration the fish species to be transported and the health status of the country of origin and the research centre in order to avoid the disease to which they are applied being introduced into the research centre or country to which the fish and/or germplasm are transported. These recommendations confer an optimum level of sanitary security to the transport of fish or germplasm among the different research centres participating in the AQUAEXCEL Project. References AquaExcel Project (2013) Deliverable 3.2: Sanitary prescriptions and procedures for transfers and safety standards.