POWERS TO STOP SPREAD OF VIRAL HAEMORRHAGIC SEPTICAEMIA

8 Jun 2006 01:45 PM

Defra has re-designated the Ouse catchment area around the Viral Haemorragic Septicaemia (VHS) outbreak in North Yorkshire as 'potentially infected waters'.

This is a precautionary measure, there have been no new cases.

This change means that the Fish Health Inspectorate has the legal power to put in place stricter biosecurity measures to reduce the potential spread of the disease if necessary. All fish farms in the designated area have also been named on the Order.

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture (Cefas) is currently undertaking an epidemiological investigation to determine the source of infection and whether any spread has occurred. Wild and farmed fish are being sampled within the catchment to determine the extent of spread of the infection.

The infected site has been cleared of fish (which have been sent for disposal at an approved rendering plant).

Once the disease situation has been fully investigated certain fish movements may be allowed to take place in the affected area with the supervision of the Cefas Fish Health Inspectorate.

The live fish movement restriction does not apply to the movement of ornamental fish to or from pet shops and aquaria.

VHS has no implications for human health.

Notes for Editors

On the 22nd May, Fish Health Inspectors from the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), acting on behalf of Defra, inspected a trout farm in Yorkshire following a report from the farm manager of high levels of mortality in the farm stock. Samples were taken and analysed at the Cefas Weymouth laboratory, and the presence of Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS) has been confirmed. VHS is a notifiable disease which affects mainly farmed rainbow trout, and can cause significant mortality.

This is the first outbreak of VHS recorded in mainland Great Britain, although there was an outbreak of the marine form of the disease in farmed turbot in the Isle of Gigha in 1994.

The Diseases of Fish (Designated Areas) (England)(No.2)Order 2006 restricts the movement of any live fish or live eggs of fish into or out of the designated area and farms without the prior written consent of Defra.

The designated area is now defined as:

* the geographical area from which water drains to form the Yorkshire River Ouse catchment to its Estuarial Water Limit at Boothe Ferry Bridge, National Grid Reference SE7333 2625; and

* the geographical area from which water drains to form the River Don catchment to its Estuarial Water Limit at Goole, National Grid Reference SE7495 2288.

The following table contains the names and addresses of the farms the Order applies to:

Fish Farm Address
1 Washburn Valley Trout Lindleywood, Farnley Hall Estate, Farm Ltd Farnley, Otley, West Yorks LS21 2QF 2 Silver Mill Fish Farm Silver Mill Hill, Otley, West Yorks LS21 3EJ
3 Kilnsey Park Trout Kilnsey, Skipton, North Yorks BD23 5PS Farm
4 Swinton Trout Farm Healey Sawmill, Swinton, Ripon, North Yorks HG4 4LB
5 Welham Park Trout High Beck Mills, Norton, Malton, North Farms Yorks YO17 9DU
6 Howkeld Mill Howkeld Mill, Kirbymoorside, York, North Yorks YO6 6HD
7 Laytham Park Laytham, Foggathorpe, Humberside IJ0 4PI 8 Nidderdale Trout Low Laithe, Summerbridge,Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 4BU
9 Brow Well Fisheries Low Mill Lane, Grassington, Skipton, Ltd North Yorks BD23 5BX
10 Welham Park Trout Low Paper Mill, Ellerburn, Pickering, Farms North Yorks, YO18 7LL
11 Marr Grange Fisheries Marr Grange Farm, Oxmardike, Gilberdyke, Brough, East Yorks HU15 2UY
12 High Costa Mill Marton Lane, Pickering, North Yorks YO18 8LW
13 Paradise Fish Farm 47 Marton Road, Gargrave, Skipton, North Yorks BD23 3NN
14 Kilnsey Angling Club Kilnsey, Skipton, North Yorks BD23 5PS 15 Yorkshire Salmon Ltd Moss Beck, Nr Skirfare Bridge, Kilnsey, North Yorks
16 Newbridge Road Newbridge Road, Pickering, North Yorks YO18 8JJ
17 Glasshouses Trout Farm The Weir, Glasshouses, Pateley Bridge, North Yorks
18 Yoadwath Mill Trout Yoadwath Mill, Swineherd Lane, Farm Kirkbymoorside, North Yorks YO62 7LS 19 Willowdene Westgate Carr Road, Pickering, North Yorks YO18 8LX
20 Plane Tree Farm Plane Tree Farm, Maunby, Thirsk, North Yorks
21 Newlands Farm Stock Newlands Farm Stock Ponds, York, North Ponds Yorkshire
22 Byram Park Lake Byram, Pontefract, West Yorks 23 Newsham Ponds Newsham Ponds, Newsham, Northallerton, North Yorks
24 Harome Trout Farm Rye House Farm, Harome, York, North Yorks YO62 5JN
25 Thruskell Well Hebden, Skipton, North Yorks BD23 5DX 26 Appletreewick Barden Upper Reservoir House, Barden, Skipton, Burnsell North Yorks BD23 6AR
27 Sinnington Trout Farm Sinnington, York, North Yorks YO62 6RB 28 Aldborough Carp Ponds Aldborough Manor, Aldborough, Boroughbridge, North Yorks YO5 9EP
29 Clear Spring Hatchery Beck Side, Threaplands, Cracoe, Skipton, North Yorks BD23 6LD
30 Blackburn Farm Blackburn Farm, Hawes, North Yorks DL8 3NX
31 Bolton Abbey Trout Bolton Abbey, Barden, Skipton, North Hatchery Yorks BD23 6AP
32 Carpvale Fisheries Station Road, Moor Monkton, North Yorks (Farm Site)
33 Barlow Trout Mill Farm, Barlow, Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 7TJ

Further information on VHS and other serious freshwater diseases can be found on the Defra website and in its "Combating Fish Disease" publication. Our sister site, www.e-fishbusiness.co.uk also provides information on fish health matters.

To organise a fish health inspection on suspicion of an outbreak, contact the CEFAS Fish Health Inspectorate on 01305 206673/74 or by sending an email to: fish.health.inspectorate@cefas.co.uk

This Designated Area Order (DAO) came into force on 7th June 2006.

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