APPROACH FOR DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE HEALTH PROGRAM STANDARDS (CAHPS)

Currently the U.S. commercial aquaculture industry sectors are operating without uniform, consistent or science-based standards for animal health management.  U.S. aquaculture industry sectors are burdened with varying health requirements by states and trading partners for animal movement often resulting in expensive yet meaningless animal testing. A risk-based approach to health management provides a framework to verify aquatic animal health, allow for branding, provide leverage for negotiations with trade partners, facilitate safe animal movement and protect natural resources.  The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS), have developed a non-regulatory framework for the improvement and verification of the health of aquatic animals cultured in U.S.  The standards implement the National Aquatic Animal Health Plan (NAAHP) for commercial aquaculture and establishes a model approach for aquatic animal health and pathogen management that may be used by other sectors. The commercial aquaculture health program standards (CAHPS) outline a series of practices that ensure animal health, enhance individual farm biosecurity, and, most critically, describe methods that may assist with branding and promotion, facilitation of animal movement and export and expand markets for the U.S. commercial aquaculture sectors