November 2, 2006


USDA-APHIS Hosts VHS Meeting

A two-day meeting on Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) was held by USDA-Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) October 31-November 1 in Washington, DC. Approximately 70 people were in attendance on the first day, including NAA staff and industry representatives; Federal and state regulators - both Natural Resource Departments and Departments of Agriculture; representatives of the Great Lakes Fish Health Committee and the Pacific Northwest Fish Health Protection Committee; virologists and researchers from USGS Western Fisheries Research Center, Cornell University and Michigan State University, and USDA staff.

Industry members were only allowed to attend the first day meeting because Federal rule-making procedures required a separate, second-day meeting of government agencies only. It is important to realize that the October 31-November 1 meeting was scheduled prior to the Federal Order issued on October 24 limiting live fish movement. The original intent of the meeting requested by NAA was to discuss potential development of a negotiated VHS Interim Rule. As a national organization, NAA was compelled to address this issue promptly. It was at the request of the NAA that stakeholders and regulators were to be brought together to determine how best to protect the US aquaculture industry from the spread of VHS and yet allow those operations in infected areas to operate in a viable, sustainable manner. NAA support the unrestricted movement of tested, VHS-pathogen free fish.

The NAA did not request the recent Federal Order prohibiting the importation and interstate movement of VHS-susceptible species in the Great Lakes Region. The NAA’s efforts have focused on immediately pursuing the quickest resolution possible to alleviate the burden on impacted producers arising from the Federal Order. These efforts are ongoing and will continue until the issue is resolved.

At the October 31 meeting, with industry representatives in attendance, APHIS staff began with a summary and rationale for the recent Federal Order. Lengthy discussion was held on the justification for issuing the Federal Order. Industry representatives were given the opportunity to detail their concerns and educate APHIS on how the Federal Order has impacted aquaculture industries in their states. Producers and NAA representatives provided numerous examples of the financial impacts of the Federal Order, citing both the immediate financial hardships, as well as the long term repercussions that could result in the loss of markets or financial ruin of both small and large aquaculture operations.

Following the industry impacts discussion, presentations were given by several researchers who have worked to identify and document the occurrence of this particular virus for several years, including a reported increase in the number of species affected. A repeated theme by researchers was that VHS virus was likely to be the most important finfish virus worldwide, with the capacity to impact many more species than currently detected to date. The results of the more recent investigations include: detection of a new strain of VHS in freshwater ecosystems, identification of several additional susceptible species including coho salmon and channel catfish, and the viability of the virus at much higher water temperatures than previously confirmed. This research has intensified the concern that VHS could spread broadly in the United States unless reasonable and appropriate biosecurity and transport procedures are identified and implemented.

Meeting discussion topics included surveillance and testing options, domestic and international movement pathways, and compliance requirements. Industry participants offered their operational knowledge and expertise in the discussion of these issues. USDA attendees appeared to appreciate and understand the projected industry impacts and repeated their determination to work quickly to identify how best to respond to this input under the Federal Order. At the same time they are working to develop an Interim Rule which would set the foundation for safe movement of VHS-susceptible species and take the place of the Federal Order.

Additional NAA communications regarding VHS can be found under Current Issues on the NAA website: www.nationalaquaculture.org