October 24, 2006

FEDERAL ORDER VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA (VHS)

Effective today, USDA-APHIS (Animal Plant Health Inspection Service) has issued a Federal Order to prohibit interstate transport of certain live fish species from 8 states surrounding the Great Lakes region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. and importation from the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

The purpose of this Federal Order is to prevent the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) into aquaculture facilities. This order is issued pursuant to the Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA). The AHPA authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to prohibit or restrict the importation or movement in interstate commerce of any animal, article, or means of conveyance if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction or dissemination of any pest or disease of livestock into or within the United States.

Due to outbreaks of VHS, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has determined that it is necessary, in order to prevent the spread of VHS into aquaculture facilities, to prohibit the importation of certain species of live fish from two Canadian Provinces into the United States and the interstate movement of the same species of live fish from the eight States bordering the Great Lakes as described in this Order.

(a) Prohibited International Areas:

Effective immediately, the importation of certain species of live fish into the United States from the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec is prohibited. The Administrator may also designate other countries or portions thereof as prohibited areas under this Order. Thereafter, the importation into the United States of any regulated species of live fish (as specified below) from an area designated as a prohibited area will be subject to this Order.

(b) Prohibited Domestic Areas:

Effective immediately, the interstate movement of certain species of live fish from specified areas in the United States is prohibited. The Administrator may also designate other States or portions thereof as prohibited areas under this Order. Thereafter, the interstate movement of any regulated species of live fish (as specified below) from an area designated as a prohibited area will be subject to this Order.

The following States are designated as prohibited domestic areas: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

(c) Regulated Species of Live Fish:

The following are regulated species of live fish:

Atlantic cod Gadus morhua
Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus
Brown bullhead Ictalurus nebulosus
Brown trout Salmo trutta
Burbot Lota lota
Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus
Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch
Chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta
Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides
Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens
Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum
Grayling Thymallus thymallus
Haddock Gadus aeglefinus
Herring Clupea spp
Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus
Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides
Muskellunge Esox masquinongy
Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus
Pike Esox lucius
Pink salmon Onchorhynchus gorbuscha
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
Redhorse sucker Moxostoma spp
Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris
Rockling Onos mustelus
Round goby Neogobius melanostomus
Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu
Sprat Sprattus spp
Turbot Scophthalmus maximus
Walleye Sander vitreus
White bass Morone chrysops
White perch Morone americana
Whitefish Coregonus spp
Yellow perch Perca flavescens

If other species are identified as VHS susceptible, the Administrator will amend this list of regulated species and will specify the regulated species of live fish on the APHIS Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/.