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 Aquaculture is the fastest growing food producing
sector.
 >90% of the worlds aquaculture production is in Asia.
 The current trend in aquaculture development is
towards the increased intensification &
commercialization of aquatic production.
 147 species of marine and 4000 species of
freshwater fishes are traded worldwide.
 Major problems caused by introduction and transfer
of aquatic animals :
-- Ecological imbalance caused by exotics.
-- Disease outbreak and parasite infestation
(EUS,WSSV).
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 “Quarantine means maintaining a group of aquatic
animals in isolation with no direct or indirect contact
with other aquatic animals, in order to undergo
observation for a specified length of time and, if
appropriate, testing and treatment, including proper
treatment of the effluent waters.”
-given by the World Organisation for Animal
Health (formerly the Office International des Epizooties, OIE), as
given in the Aquatic Animal Health Code (OIE, 2006a):

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 The technical requirements for setting up quarantine
facilities are at three levels, based on the general
level of risk :
 The quarantine of “high risk” species
 Aquatic animals being moved either internationally
through introductions and transfers or domestically
between regions of different health status.
 That are destined for use in aquaculture, capture
fishery development or other applications where
release or escape of animals or any pathogens they
may be carrying into the natural environment is likely
to occur.

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 The quarantine of “lower risk” species to improve bio
security for aquatic animals whose trade is an
established practice.
 aquatic animals destined for the ornamental trade
 The routine quarantine of aquatic animals at
production facilities
 domestically produced or locally captured brood stock
or juveniles or animals whose movement has been
contingent upon additional, more stringent, risk
management measures.
 the use of Specific Pathogen Free stocks,
international health certification, pre-border or border
quarantine etc
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 To minimize the risk of introducing pathogens into the
territory of the importing country and their
transmission to susceptible species.
 It should be seen as one of a wide range of risk
management options that can be applied, either alone
or in combination, to reduce the risk caused by
aquatic animal pathogens
 Basic requirements for effective Quarantine :
 Adequate physical infrastructure appropriate to the
level of containment required.
 Established operating protocols.
 Well-trained staffs.

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 Acceptable level of risk (ALOR) : a risk level judged by
an importing country to be compatible with the
protection of public health, aquatic animal health and
terrestrial animal health within the country.
 Biosecurity (“quarantine measures”) : The sum total
of a country’s activities and measures taken to
protect its natural aquatic resources, capture
fisheries, aquaculture and biodiversity & the people
who depend on them from the possible negative
impacts resulting from the introduction & spread of
serious transboundary aquatic animal diseases
(TAADs).

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 Hazard : any pathogen that could produce adverse
consequences on the importation of a commodity
 Biosecurity clearance : official written notification
issued by the Competent Authority stating that a
consignment of aquatic animals has met any pre-
border and border requirements (including any
quarantine) as specified in the aquatic animal import
health standard & can now be released into the
custody of the importer.
 Quarantine period : a minimum period of quarantine,
typically as specified in an aquatic animal import
health standard or other legally binding document.

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 Transboundary aquatic animal diseases (TAADs):
aquatic animal diseases
that are highly contagious or transmissible, with the
potential for very rapid spread irrespective of
national borders, and that cause serious socio-
economic consequences.
 Risk : the likelihood of the occurrence and the likely
magnitude of the consequences of an adverse event
to public, aquatic animal or terrestrial animal health
in the importing country during a specified time
period.
 Zone, Zoning :

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 A wide range of risk management measure exists
 Risk reduction measures
Pre-border measures & Post-border measures
 Pre-border measures :
 Certification of production source
 Use of SPF stocks
 Zoning
 Restriction on life cycle stages
 List of approved species
 List of approved exporting countries
 Onsite inspection of exporting facilities

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 International & other health certificates
 Pre-border quarantine & temporary holding
 Pre-shipment treatment
 Inspection, certification & audits
 Post-border measures
 Restrictions on initial use
 Monitoring programs

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 International standards & guidelines
 ICES code of practice on the introductions and
transfers of marine organisms (ICES,2005)
 Strategy for the Development and Implementation of
Health Certification and Quarantine Guidelines for the
Responsible Movement of Aquatic Animals in the Asia-
Pacific Region” (FAO, 1997)-partners-OIE & NACA
 Asia Regional Technical Guidelines on Health
Management for the Responsible Movement of Live
Aquatic Animals

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 CCRF
 EU
 ASEAN- SOPs
 NBFGR

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 The stringency of quarantine measures
 Countries should avoid scientifically unsound species
 Quarantine procedures can be done in different
places
 Quarantine facilities should meet minimum standards
 Movement involving a high or unknown health risk
 Disinfectants, antibiotics, other drugs and chemicals
 Transfer should be in a batch-by-batch basis
 Effluents and wastes
 Co-habitation experiment
 Approval status
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 Delay in developing accurate and reliable diagnostic tests for
a new pathogen
 The diversity of forms in which trade occurs
 The sheer volume of aquatic animals traded
 The lack of accurate diagnostics tests for some pathogens
 The limited capital and human resources
 The ability of pathogens to take advantage of novel host
species and new environments
 Lack of adequate legislation

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 Effective enforcement (e.g., border customs and
inspection, post-border follow up)
 Knowledgeable and supportive aquaculture industry
 Sufficient political will
 Competent and readily available diagnostics support
 Existence of reliable diagnostics tests for major
pathogens
 Good knowledge base of pathogens present in the
exporting and importing countries
(surveillance and monitoring, disease surveys)
 Good information base on pathogen biology,
prevention, treatment, etc

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 Disinfectants, antibiotics and other drugs in
aquaculture can be highly toxic to fish & human
 Effectiveness of given chemical depends on various
factors
 Different treatment for ‘High risk’, ‘Low risk’ &
‘routine quarantine’ (ICES,FAO)
 Use of antibiotics

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 Packing
 Use of zeolite, activated carbon etc..
 Bag size
 Documents
 Packing density, water quality parameters
 Health certificates

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 Evaluation of health & checking the documentation at
the entry
 Prohibited species
 Into quarantine tank
 Bags & boxes
 Imported water

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 Tanks or other approved containers
 Recirculation system & water sterilization system
 Monitoring water quality
 Restricted entry
 Disease outbreak or mortality
 Do not release animals out of the system till the
quarantine detention period is over
 Prophylactic & therapeutic treatments
 If the risk continues, destroy
 Approval & release

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 Records
 Standard record sheet for each unit
 Inspection of records
 For all water treatments
 For all drug/chemical treatment
 Disinfection
 All nets and equipments (before & after the use)
 Materials for filtering water
 Water-proof footwear (5% Betadine solution)
 Hand wash
 Effluents
 Dead animals or eggs (10% formalin solution for 5days)

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 There are some recommended procedures for the
application of quarantine in.. (eg: Penaeid shrimp)
 Quarantine is only a component of a production level
biosecurity program, which includes a set of SOPs
 Period of quarantine
 Location of quarantine facility
 Specific construction & equipment requirements
 Treatment of intake water
 Treatment of effluent water
 Disposal of dead animals

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 Standards of operation
 Restricted entrance
 Dirty & clean areas, unidirectional movement
 Potential brood stock should be kept in isolation
 Acclimatization
 Dip treatment with iodine solution (20 ppm),
potassium permanganate (100 ppm) / formalin (50–
100 ppm) for 30–60 s
 Feeding
 Temperature and DO
 Regular monitoring
 Heavily infected- immediate disposal

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 Introductions and transfers of aquatic animals whose
health status is partially or completely unknown &
which are considered to potential carriers of serious
diseases
 Strict quarantine
 Progeny reared from parent stock (F1)
 During the quarantine period, no living aquatic
animals, equipment or materials are removed from
the Quarantine Facility

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 Period of quarantine
 Depend on the results of observation and testing of
the imported stock and the resulting F1 generation
 Need to take into account the life history of the
aquatic animal being introduced or transferred
 Location of quarantine facilities
 Should be determined on a case-by-case basis
 Premises should not be approved in the vicinity of
private or government fish hatcheries, aquaculture
facilities, watercourses or areas subject to frequent
flooding.

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 General requirement
 Access to the Quarantine Facility
 Quarantine facility should be separated from..
 Weather-proof
 Sterilization equipments
 Proper back up system
 Specific construction & equipment requirements
 Prevention of insects, door
 Floor & wall
 Lights
 Floor drainage
 Foot bath
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 Handling of aquatic animals
 On the port
 To quarantine facility
 In quarantine facility
 Disinfection
 Progeny
 Monitoring
 Dead animals
 Use of drugs and chemicals
 Release

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 Standards for ornamental aquatic animals
 Number of ornamental fishes are exported and
imported
 Disease carriers (TAADs)
 Period of quarantine
 Varies based on different factors
 Different in different countries:
minimum quarantine period of
six weeks for shipments of FW ornamental fishes and
three weeks for marine ornamental fishes by New
Zealand
7–21 days for freshwater
ornamental finfish and 7 days for marine ornamental
finfish as specified by Australia 30
 Location of quarantine facilities
 General requirements
 Specific construction & equipment
requirements
 Tanks should be with lids
 75cm corridors between rows of tanks
 Transparent front portion
 Handling of aquatic animals

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 Important risk management measure
 Disease control
 Increase in production
 Proper support from government

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 Humphrey, J., Arthur, J.R., Subasinghe, R.P. and Phillips, M.J.1997.
Aquatic animal quarantine and health certification in Asia,
Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Health and Quarantine
Guidelines for the Responsible Movement (Introduction and
Transfer) of Aquatic Organisms. Bangkok, Thailand, 28 January
1996. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 373. Rome, FAO. 153 pp.

 Arthur, J.R., Melba, G., Reantaso, B. and Subasinghe, R.P.2008.

Procedure for the quarantine of live aquatic animals, FAO Fisheries
Technical Paper No. 502. Rome, FAO.

 FAO/NACA. 2001a. Manual of procedures for the implementation of

the Asia regional technical guidelines on health management for
the responsible movement of live aquatic animals. FAO Fisheries
Technical Paper No. 402, Supplement 1. Rome, FAO. 106 pp.

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 Johnson,S.K.1990. Introduction of exotic shrimp, quarantine and
disease inspection methods, SRAC (South Regional Aquaculture
Centre) No.260

 Pillay, T.V.R., Kutty, M,N.2005. Aquaculture principles and practices,

Blackwell publishing Ltd.214pp

 ICAR.2006. Handbook of fisheries and aquaculture. ICAR, New Delhi.

511-537pp.

 Subasinghe, R.P., S.E. McGladdery & B.J. Hill,2004. Surveillance and

zoning for aquatic animal diseases. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No.
451. Rome, FAO. 73 pp.

 Melba, G., Reantaso, B., Subasinghe, R.P., Arthur, J.R., Ogawa, K.,
Aldard, R. and Chinabut, S.2005. Disease and health management in
Asian aquaculture, Vet. Parasitol. 132: 249–272. Elsevier B.V.

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