DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. 01-082-1]

Declaration of Emergency Because of Infectious Salmon Anemia

    Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is a foreign animal disease of

Atlantic salmon caused by an orthomyxovirus. While this virus appears

to only cause disease in Atlantic salmon, both wild and farmed, sea run

brown trout, rainbow trout, and other wild fish such as herring may act

as carriers or reservoirs of the virus. Since its first isolation in

Norway in 1984, it has also been found in Canada and Scotland. ISA may

also be called hemorrhagic kidney syndrome (HKS) in Atlantic salmon.

The first case of ISA in the United States was confirmed on February

15, 2001. As of June 25, 2001, eight cases have been confirmed in

Maine.

    Clinical signs of ISA generally appear within 2 to 4 weeks after

infection and include lethargy, swelling and hemorrhaging of the

kidneys and other organs, protruding eyes, pale gills, darkening of the

posterior gut, and swelling of the spleen. Mortality is highly variable

and can range from 3 percent to over 50 percent over one production

cycle, depending on a number of factors.

    Transmission occurs by direct contact, through parts from infected

fish (mucus, blood, viscera, trimmings, feces), contact with equipment

contaminated with parts from infected fish, people who handled infected

fish, and sea lice. Salmon pens within 3 miles of infected farms or

processing plants handling infected fish without adequate waste

treatment have up to 13 times greater risk of becoming infected with

ISA.

    The State of Maine has taken steps to prevent further spread of

ISA; however, the State lacks sufficient funding and personnel to

effectively control this disease, which poses a potentially serious

threat to animal health and the U.S. economy. Therefore, State

officials have asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

to assist with epidemiology, surveillance, and indemnification

programs. Our goal is to control and contain the disease through rapid

detection and depopulation of salmon that have been infected with or

exposed to ISA.

    We believe the virus can be controlled and contained within high-

risk zones through surveillance, vaccination, and best management

practices. Control of ISA requires depopulation of all pens holding

infected fish, but the risk of loss of stock without indemnification

makes it less likely that farmers will report outbreaks, and currently,

farmers are under no obligation to report the occurrence of fish

disease to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of

the USDA. Indemnification is necessary to provide an incentive for

farmers to report diseased fish and to continue testing.

    Vaccination appears to be a potentially effective means of

controlling ISA. If vaccines now being tested prove to be efficacious,

restocking affected zones with vaccinated smolts could reduce the

incidence and spread of ISA. APHIS could be instrumental in vaccine

development and providing permits for vaccine distribution.

    Successful control of ISA also requires extensive surveillance.

Current surveillance in the high-risk zones of Maine's Cobscook and

Passamaquoddy Bays has been limited to once per month because of that

State's budgetary and personnel considerations. Elsewhere, surveillance

has been limited to a quarterly basis. To control ISA, it is vital that

all sites, both high- and low-risk, undergo monthly surveillance.

    Canada has been seriously affected by ISA. Fish farmers in that

country have lost $70 million (in U.S. dollars) as a result of the

virus, and Canada's Federal and Provincial governments have contributed

over $29.5 million (in U.S. dollars) to compensate salmon farmers. As a

result of a comprehensive ISA program that includes indemnification,

Canada has reduced the incidence of ISA from 18 infected sites in 1998

to 4 infected sites in 2001.

    In addition to posing a significant worldwide risk to the economic

viability and sustainability of salmon aquaculture, ISA poses a

specific threat to the United States. Salmon production in Maine

exceeds 36.2 million pounds annually, with a value of $101 million.

Outbreaks of ISA in Maine have already cost that State's salmonid

industry approximately $11 million due to the depopulation of infected

or exposed salmon. This loss is greater when capital expenditures such

as labor costs and equipment are considered.

    These lost revenues have more significant effects. Resulting

budgetary effects have compromised efforts by the State of Maine and by

the salmonid industry to control ISA. Additionally, the devastating

effects of the virus reach the economies of other States and have

serious ramifications for international trade. For example, when ISA

emerged in Maine, Chile and the European Union prohibited the

importation of trout and salmon eggs from the States of Washington,

Maine, and Idaho. The resulting trade loss is estimated at $2 million

for 2001.

    Therefore, in order to address the ISA threat to the U.S. salmonid

industry, APHIS has determined that additional funds are needed for an

ISA control program. In addition to the payment of indemnity, these

funds will be used for program activities such as depopulation and

disposal, clean-up and disinfection, establishment of surveillance

programs, epidemiology and diagnostic support, and training for

producers and veterinarians. These activities will reduce the spread of

ISA and should save the Federal Government and salmonid industry from

having to deal with a more costly and widespread problem in the future.

    Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of

September 25, 1981, as amended (7 U.S.C. 147b), I declare that there is

an emergency that threatens the livestock industry of this country and

hereby authorize the transfer and use of such funds as may be necessary

from appropriations or other funds available to the agencies or

corporations of the United States Department of Agriculture to

establish an ISA control program in the United States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This declaration of emergency shall become effective

December 13, 2001.

Ann M. Veneman,

Secretary of Agriculture.

[FR Doc. 01-31365 Filed 12-19-01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-34-U