New fish health regulations require ALL transporters of aquaculture animals to take specific measures to protect the health of fish/ shellfish during transportation, thereby preventing the spread of aquatic disease.
If you are transporting aquaculture animals you must undertake to:
- Ensure the health status of the aquatic animal you are carrying is not altered during transport.
- Ensure the health status of an aquaculture or wild aquatic animal at the premised of destination or en-route to that destination is not altered.
- Minimise the risk of the spread of disease
If water exchange is required during transportation, you must take all necessary measures to protect the health status of the fish or shellfish:
(a) being transported;
(b) at the place of water exchange; and
(c) at the place of destination.
It should be noted that these measures apply to all diseases of aquatic animals, not just listed in Council Directive 2006/88/EC.
You must also keep a record of:
- Mortality during transport (as practicable)
- Farms and processing establishments visited.
- Any water exchanges during transport.
Specialist Transporters of Aquaculture Animals
Specialist transporters of aquaculture animals must be registered with the Marine Institute.
A “specialist transporter” is defined as….a business or undertaking which wholly or mainly transports live aquaculture animals in a mode of transport specially designed and adapted for that purpose
It should be noted that all transporters of aquaculture animals are required to observe the biosecurity and recording measures outlined in above. However, only specialist transporters are required to register with the Marine Institute.
A list of registered aquaculture transporters is published here.
To register with the Marine Insitute as a specialist transporter, download and complete one of the following forms:
Specialist Aquaculture Transporters Registration Form
Specialist Aquaculture Transporters Wellboat Registration Form