Following presentations relating to the cost of disease to trout farming in the UK, currently estimated at nearly 20% of FSV, a key message that emerged from the meeting is the need to develop more accurate statistical information on disease and mortality. Such information must be used in both demonstrating progress that the industry has made with regard to welfare improvements and to provide further evidence for the urgent need of approved antibiotics and treatments for the aquaculture industry. All at the meeting agreed that the availability of treatments needs to be addressed across Europe noting there are no licensed antibiotics for the 1 billion trout produced across the EU annually.

Representatives of Defra and Cefas clarified the thinking behind current regulatory policy underpinning the transposition of Aquatic Animal Health Directive (2006/88) noting the principles of prevention being better than cure and that legislation is underpinned by the concept of risk and threat, where risk is seen as the movement of live fish and threat equates to threat of disease. The movement of fish is identified by Government as an integral part of business and because of that steps will be taken to try to mitigate risk through movement. The importance of the UK being able to provide evidence for our high fish health status through regulatory control was also made clear.
Key aspects of the new regulation will be authorisations of all farms; requiring record keeping, risk based surveillance and certain bio-security arrangements. Risk assessment will be assessed through the Aquatic Animal Health Database, a sophisticated tool developed by Cefas that will additionally be used to provide information to organisations such as FAO and the Government. Other key points are the consideration being given to the risk of dead fish movements (e.g. import of fillets) and the requirement of arbitration procedures to be established in the event of dispute of any given risk assessment rating, currently under consideration at the EU.

Further themes developed during the day included the role of farm health plans, which every site will require by August 2008 and the benefits of participation in industry self accreditation schemes with regard to improved business practices and operating standards, linking back to the themes first expressed during the day of the increasing trend toward industry self regulation and cost sharing across the food production industry.
BTA are welcoming comments from all interested parties in trout aquaculture with relation to the current consultation on the transposition of Directive 2206/88 EC into UK legislation. Comments should be addressed to david.bassett@britishtrout.co.uk and further details are available from Defra's website www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/aquatic-ah/ . The consultation deadline is 07 March 2008.

Download the presentations given during the day here:

• Aquatic Animal Health Directive
• European Trout Overview
• Fish Health Welfare Plan
• Self Accreditation Schemes
• Sentinel farms Lechlade

• UK Disease Costs