Transparency data

FHI Quarterly Report – 1 July to 30 September 2014

Updated 12 March 2015

Applies to England and Wales

1. Finfish and shellfish health

The summer surveillance programmes have been dominated by koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease, with a total of 53 disease investigations into carp mortalities undertaken, resulting in confirmed designations placed on 16 fishery waters and complexes. This brought the total number of new confirmed designations placed in 2014 for KHV disease to 21. This is the highest number of confirmed designations made for KHV disease in a single year since 2007, when the disease was first listed as a notifiable disease in aquatic animal health legislation.

The KHV disease testing programme on infected waters was successfully completed with 37 populations of sentinel carp introduced into fisheries and subsequently examined for the presence of KHV disease. The success rate for the recovery of the sentinel fish following exposure has improved considerably in the past year following the use of purpose built cages to contain the fish rather than keep nets on most waters. There was one failure to get a sample from a site in Norfolk, where the nets were damaged and the sentinel fish escaped. To date we have no evidence for the presence of KHV disease in any of the sentinel fish populations introduced into waters subject to disease control measures. However samples from the fish have been submitted for testing and the results will be available by the end of 2014.

KHV disease designation was removed from two fisheries in Cambridgeshire. These sites were initially designated in 2009 however the testing schedule which should have completed in 2013 was extended due to the failure to obtain sufficient sentinel fish for testing from earlier introductions because of predation by piscivorous fish.

The Fish Health Inspectorate is working closely with coarse fishery owners and managers in order to improve biosecurity across the sector, and so reduce the risk of the introduction and spread of serious diseases of fish, and invasive non native species of plants and animals. This initiative will continue into 2015.

To date, the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) has completed 86% of its fin fish farm scheduled visits for the year, 90% of coldwater trade importer and Regulation 23 isolation inspections have been completed.

KHV routine disease inspections on fish farms was completed and the remaining 10% of SVC routine disease inspections are on course to be completed by the end of the calendar year.

2. Disease investigations

Investigations by the FHI have revealed a consistent pathology in several common carp mortalities over the summer comprising inflammation of the brain and heart. A review of all carp submissions in 2014 is being undertaken by Cefas histopathologists to establish whether there are any common factors underlying this observation. Tests on histology sections on brain and heart are underway to establish whether viruses are present.

The FHI has continued to support research work underway at the Cefas Weymouth laboratory on puffy skin disease, a skin condition of farmed rainbow trout which is becoming increasingly prevalent in the aquaculture sector. The preliminary results of transmission studies indicate that this is likely to be a transmissible condition.

During a routine compliance and surveillance visit to a newly established shellfish purification centre located in the River Crouch, Essex, Fish Health Inspectors were alerted to a mortality event in Pacific oysters in the adjacent shellfish farm. The Inspectors observed a high volume of dead shell. Seawater temperatures were known to have been in excess of 20°C for a number of weeks. It appeared to the Inspectors that the mortality had been of considerable duration. An initial designation was immediately placed on the shellfish farm and purification centre and samples submitted for diagnostic testing. These samples proved to be positive for oyster herpesvirus microvariant OsHV-1 µvar.

In order to establish the extent of the Confirmed Designation further samples of Pacific oysters were obtained from farmed and wild stocks (with the assistance of the Eastern IFCA) from across the River Crouch estuary, and also from the adjacent River Roach estuary. Samples from the middle reaches of the River Crouch proved to be positive for OsHV-1 var, whilst those from the River Roach were negative for the microvariant. A Confirmed Designation was placed on the River Crouch on August 2014 with a surveillance zone established on the adjacent River Roach. This is the fourth area designated for oyster herpesvirus OsHV-1 µvar.

The epidemiology study that was completed following this outbreak of OsHV-1 concluded that the most likely route of introduction of the disease was through movements of live shellfish.

The parasite Haplosporidium nelsoni has been recorded for the first time in the UK in farmed Pacific oysters from the River Dart, Devon. This parasite was the causative agent of huge mortalities of the Virginia oyster Crassostrea virginica in estuaries in the USA where it is known as MSX disease. The shellfish farmer reported increased mortality in a number of his sites in the River Dart. A Fish Health Inspector visited the shellfish farm to take further samples from across the shellfish beds order to assess incidence and intensity of infection. Evidence from the USA suggests that the intensity of infection may be reduced in lower salinity waters and there remains a possibility that the shellfish stocks may be managed to reduce the impact of the disease.

Haplosporidium nelsoni has previously been reported in Pacific oysters in France and in the Republic of Ireland, however this is the first time that sporulation (formation of spores, the infectious stage of the life cycle) has been observed in Europe.

2.1 Breakdown of fish activities

Activity	Number
Compliance visits to authorised APBs	57
Routine disease inspections	118
Surveillance or sample on suspicion of notifiable disease	57
Visits resulting from confirmation of notifiable disease	158
Authorisation inspections	24

2.2 Breakdown of shellfish activities

Activity	Number
Compliance visits to authorised APBs	51
Routine disease inspections	2
Surveillance or sample on suspicion of notifiable disease	15

3. Investigations and enforcement

The Assistant Surveillance Commissioner from the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner completed the biennial audit of Defra and its agencies with regard to the use of RIPA (The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000). The documentation, systems of work and operational practices adopted by the FHI received a very positive report.

The FHI enforcement officer has continued to engage with fish farmers, fishery owners and fish health consultants over their responsibilities to report suspicion of listed (notifiable) diseases under the aquatic animal health regulations.

Surveillance of imports of live fish has continued at major points of entry into the UK such as Dover and Harwich. During the past quarter compliance with import rules by live fish importers has been very good.

3.1 Breakdown of investigations and enforcement activities

Activity	Number
Regulation notices	40
Advice and warning letters issued	2
Enforcement notice	1
Unannounced visits	52

4. Advice and representation

Significant progress has been made in engaging with the UK Border Force (UKBF) through the Defra strategic relationship with UKBF. The FHI proposed a series of training events to be held for frontline staff at major points of import for freight traffic which has been approved by the UKBF. Training events to take place in December 2014 and January 2015 have been organised at key ports around the coast.

The FHI has continued to provide advice on the Environment Agency’s draft live fish movement order proposed under the Marine and Coastal Access Act. This was in order to ensure that this new legislation harmonises with aquatic animal health legislation as well as aquatic animal health elements of the new EU Animal Health Regulation, which is currently in negotiation.

Representatives of the FHI attended the annual Game Show held at Blenheim Palace, the largest event of this nature dedicated to game and country pursuits. With support from the show organisers and the Angling Trust, the FHI had in place an exhibition stand demonstrating the work undertaken in protecting England and Wales from serious disease issues of aquatic animals whether on farms or the wild. A range of stakeholders were engaged from landowners, fish farmers, educators, and individuals. The Fisheries Minister George Eustice and Secretary of State Elizabeth Truss made visits to the event with FHI inspectors informing each of them about the work undertaken by the FHI.

A member of the FHI delivered a workshop on fish disease control at the Qinghai Provincial Fishery and Environmental Monitoring Centre, China. Trout production in China is increasing significantly and the Chinese authorities who funded the trip are keen to utilise the skills, knowledge and experience of the FHI to protect this developing industry from serious fish diseases that may detrimentally affect future growth potential.

In September an FHI inspector presented the annual FHI disease update at the Coarse Fish Meeting held at Sparsholt College, Hampshire. This was followed by a presentation by an Inspector at the inaugural meeting of the UK and Ireland branch of the European Association of Fish Pathologists on border biosecurity – enforcing aquatic animal health regulations.

An FHI inspector attended the SAGB mollusc committee meeting on 19 September and presented on the new confirmed designation for oyster herpesvirus OsHV-1 µvar and on reports of large scale mussel mortalities in France.

5. Service charter

Below is a breakdown of our performance against targets our service charter

Activity	Number
Correspondence	86
Telephone enquiries received	953
Email enquiries	1608
Visitors to AAHM website (prior to transfer to GOV.UK)	11,339
Visitors to GOV.UK website	12,732
Movement document applications	79 (100% achieved)
Fishery and AAH registrations	181 (100% achieved)
Test results and visit only letters	434 (95% achieved)
Overall compliance rate within target	98%

A full breakdown of the FHI’s performance under the service charter is available in Issue 15 of Finfish News.

6. Trade

The total number of aquatic trade consignments imported into England and Wales from other EU countries in the last quarter was 109. The breakdown is as follows:

Country	Number
France	36
Guernsey	32
Eire	12
N. Ireland	11
Netherlands	9
Portugal	4
Denmark	2
Hungary	2
Germany	1

The total number of aquatic trade consignments exported from England and Wales to countries in the EU in the last quarter was 123. The breakdown is as follows:

Country	Number
Eire	94
Northern Ireland	37
Jersey	10
Germany	7
Netherlands	7
Canada	3
Norway	3
England	2
Guernsey	2
Finland	1
France	1
Italy	1

7. Next quarter

• Complete 2014’s scheduled inspections.
• Finalise results from the sentinel fish programme.
• Start the UK Border Force staff training programme in Aquatic Animal Health rules and regulations.