About Fish Health Inspectorate
Welcome to the Fish Health Inspectorate Page.
Contact us by:
Email fhi@cefas. co. uk
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm 01305 206700
If your matter is urgent, you can contact our on duty inspector on 07833 293506
Fish Health Inspectorate Description
The Fish Health Inspectorate inspect fish and shellfish farms and investigate serious outbreaks of disease in both farms and the wild. By helping to maintain the health of the UK’s fish and shellfish, we improve businesses’ ability to trade openly outside the UK, reduce their losses from disease and help protect a valuable natural resource. We are committed to protecting, enhancing and improving aquatic animal health.
The FHI’s main objectives are to prevent the introduction and spread of serious fish and shellfish diseases. We achieve this by:
•Implementing and managing risk based surveillance programmes
•Assessing the incidence, prevalence and significance of diseases
•Undertaking disease prevention and eradication measures
•Applying controls to stop disease import and spread
•Investigating unexplained mortalities
•Advising on appropriate biosecurity and disease mitigation measures
•Enforcing non-compliance with legislative requirements
These objectives are achieved through inspections, education, encouragement and finally enforcement. The FHI’s approach to enforcement is that prevention is better than cure. Therefore the FHI always seek to engage with stakeholders to ensure that they are provided with all of the information, support and guidance to enable full compliance with legislation under which their industry is regulated.
We have 20 members of staff, based at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) laboratory in Weymouth, Dorset. Kevin Denham, who joined FHI in 1991, was appointed Head of the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) on 1 May 2008 and the inspectorate reports to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Serious fish or shellfish diseases are called ‘notifiable’ because you must immediately report that you suspect or know about them to the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI).
Notifiable fish and shellfish diseases
Fish
Notifiable Fish diseases are:
•Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD)
•Epizootic Haematopoietic Necrosis (EHN)
•Gyrodactylus Salaris (GS)
•Infectious Haematopoietic Necrosis (IHN)
•Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA)
•Koi Herpesvirus Disease (KHV)
•Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC)
•Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS)
Crustaceans
Notifiable crustacean diseases are:
•Taura Syndrome
•Yellow Head Disease
•White Spot Disease
Molluscs
Notifiable mollusc diseases are infections with:
•Bonamia exitiosa
•Bonamia ostreae
•Perkinsus marinus
•Marteilia refringens
•Microcytos mackini
Please see our website for infromation on each Notifiable disease.
Reviews
Koi Herpesvirus disease (KHV) is a viral disease of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and all its varieties - such as mirror, leather, ghost, koi etc. It can lead to mortality rates of 100%. Current water temperatures are within the range for outbreaks to occur. As always anglers can minimise the risk of KHV spread by practicing good bio-security. Please inform the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) immediately (call 01305-206700) if you witness or hear of any carp mortalities. All m...ortality reports are investigated, and all information provided is kept anonymous. It is your legal obligation to notify the FHI if you suspect KHV. The affected carp may appear weak and/or lethargic, display erratic swimming, show sunken eyes and lesions/patches of dead tissue on the gills (see image). We are currently investigating multiple mortalities. The quicker we are informed, the faster we can act.
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Invasive species week day 4.......................................< br> Why it is important to "rehome rather than release" unwanted fish. Find out below.
https://marinescience.blog.gov.uk/…/why -it-is-important-to…/
Invasive Species Week Day 3......................
Invasive plants and animals from all over the world have been introduced accidentally to British waters. Over fifty different species have already been found in our lakes, rivers, and other waterways, and the number of new arrivals is increasing rapidly.They cause serious environmental problems that can be irreversible – killing fish by spreading diseases and reducing the oxygen levels of the water, outcompeting other native ...wildlife, and damaging ecosystems. Invasive plants also clog up waterways, making it hard to fish and increase the risk of flooding. They can be small and hard to spot so are easily spread on damp equipment and clothing. Protect the environment and fishing you enjoy by keeping your kit free of invasive plants and animals - Check Clean Dry - Find out how below. #invasivespeciesweek #invasivespeciesweek2019
https://youtu.be/X1WKGsnzk40
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Invasive species week continued......
Check Clean Dry is an effective method that anglers can utilise to prevent the spread of non-native invasive species. Please read the blog produced by CEFAS below to discover how Check Clean Dry protects our freshwater environments and animals #invasivespeciesweek
https://marinescience.blog.gov.uk/…/how -check-clean-dry-ca…/
It’s #InvasivesWeek 2019! Organisations across the #UK #Ireland #Guernsey #Jersey and #IsleOfMan are working together on a week of action to raise awareness, find out more at http://www.nonnativespecies.org/invasives peciesweek …
The fourth OIE Global Conference on Aquatic Animal Health is currently taking place in Santiago, Chile. It aims to highlight the critical contribution of aquatic animal health programmes on improving aquaculture productivity and sustainability, and consequently the availability of high quality protein to feed the world. The conference will help to raise awareness of the need for good governance of Veterinary Services and Aquatic Animal Health Services, including both governmental and private sectors, promoting collaboration between veterinarians, aquatic animal health professionals, and other partners in assuring safe and sustainable aquaculture production. You can participate in this conference by following the live stream in the link below. http://www.oie.int/aquatic-conference2019 /?lang=en
Thinking of starting an Aquaculture Production Business?
Follow the link below to the updated Aquaculture Regulatory Toolbox for England, developed by CEFAS in conjuction with Seafish. It contains guidance on English Aquaculture regulatory issues to assist businesses and regulators deal with aquaculture applications.
https://www.seafish.org/…/aquaculture-r egulatory-toolbox-fo…
Thanks to OATA for highlighting this important issue - Please read post below.
The FHI will be attending the Northern Angling Show - 2019. We look forward to seeing you and answering your fish health related questions.
Handle antimicrobials with care, follow the Five “Only” Rules: • Only use #antimicrobials when prescribed by a veterinarian or animal health professional. • Only use the #AntiMicrobial dosage and follow length of treatment and withdrawal period as prescribed. • Only use when needed: #Antimicrobials do not cure every infection! ... • Only obtain #Antimicrobials from authorised sources and retailers! • Only use #Antimicrobials when associated with good animal health care! #WAAW18 #OIE
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KHV 2018 Summary: With Summer now a distant memory, and Autumn in full swing the reduction in ambient water temperatures below that of 16oC marks the end of the 2018 Koi Herpes Virus disease (KHV) season. When laboratory testing confirms KHV at a site, the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) place statutory controls to limit the spread of the disease. These controls restrict movements of aquatic animals and ensure equipment is disinfected. The FHI have placed 26 confirmed designat...ions for KHV at fisheries in 2018, with subsequent disease control measures being applied. A list of these fisheries can be found at https://www.gov.uk/…/outbreaks-of-koi-h erpesvirus-khv-disea…. 26 KHV designations at fisheries in 2018 shows a slight increase on 2017 (24) and is the 2nd highest number of fishery designations recorded in an individual year, behind that of 2016 (32). The increased number of cases in 2018 compared to 2017 can be partially attributed to the exceptionally hot weather witnessed in late June and early July, where a subsequent spike of reported mortalities was witnessed. Sites with KHV disease must undergo a formal monitoring programme for the duration of the calendar year immediately following the outbreak. The FHI visit these sites to look for evidence of disease and to inspect compliance with the conditions of the statutory controls in place. The controls are removed if the disease doesn’t reoccur during this period. Although comparatively uncommon the FHI do on occasion confirm outbreaks of KHV reoccurrence at fisheries previously designated. The number of reoccurrences observed by the FHI in 2018 is identical to that witnessed in 2017 at 3, which is one above that of 2016 (2).
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**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** *BROADLANDS LAKE COMPLEX, HAMPSHIRE*
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD31.2018_Confir…
**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** ********ORCHARD LAKES, HAMPSHIRE********
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD30.2018_Confir…
**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** ***WATMORE FARM FISHERY, HAMPSHIRE***
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD29.2018_Confir…
**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** *******GATTON WATERS, NORFOLK************
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD28.2018_Confir…
**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** ************KIPPAX PARK, LEEDS****************
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD27.2018_Confir…
**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** *********MIDDLE POOL, SHROPSHIRE**********
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD26.2018_Confir…
**CONFIRMED KOI HERPESVIRUS DISEASE** ***LAKEWOOD FISHERIES, SCUNTHORPE***
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ …/CD25.2018__WEB_C…