Aquaculture America 2020

February 9 - 12, 2020

Honolulu, Hawaii

APHIS RESPONSE TO EMERGING AQUATIC ANIMAL DISEASE DETECTIONS LIKE IHHNV

Kathleen H. Hartman*

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services
1408 24th Street, SE
Ruskin, FL 33570 USA
Kathleen.H.Hartman@usda.gov
 

Over the last year USDA APHIS Veterinary Services has been notified of several detections of  Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV), an  OIE listed crustacean pathogen.  APHIS has been able to respond to these events but has identified challenges that will influence future responses.  In the face of these types of detections, APHIS' goals are to minimize the impacts to animal health, both on and off farm, as well as to the trade status of the entire U.S.   To achieve these goals farms must be able to demonstrate appropriate and adequate pathogen surveillance and risk management practices. Challenges to achieving these goals include limited resources, lack of import controls and often times incongruent state regulatory authority for aquaculture.  However, these recent detections have allowed APHIS to deploy resources at the local level and establish partnerships that have worked to facilitate the containment of important aquatic pathogens and, ultimately, restore trade.