Fish Health
Fish Health Unit Overview
Our Fish Health Unit is the Competent Authority for the implementation of aquatic animal health legislation and the Irish National Reference Laboratory for finfish, mollusc and crustacean diseases.
Competent Authority
We are the Competent Authority for the implementation in Ireland of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, ‘the Animal Health Law’, as it relates to the health of aquaculture animals and the prevention and control of certain aquatic diseases.
Fish Disease Diagnostics
Our Fish Health Unit is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for finfish, mollusc and crustacean diseases in Ireland. The National Reference Laboratory is responsible for developing, validating and implementing appropriate methods for the testing of fish and shellfish diseases.
Aquatic Diseases
We implement a fish health monitoring programme to test for diseases listed under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882, and Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/260, as well as other aquatic diseases of national importance.
Management of Non-listed Aquatic Diseases
Diseases that are not listed in the above EU legislation are controlled between the farmer and their private veterinary practitioner.