Koi Herpesvirus confirmed at six fisheries

[Hoppy]

Koi Herpesvirus confirmed at six fisheries

The Environment Agency has instructed the owners of six still water fisheries in the south, east and midlands of England to cease all fish movements following confirmed cases of Koi Herpesvirus (KHV).

Koi Herpesvirus (KHV) was confirmed at these fisheries after the owners reported significant fish losses.

Environment Agency fish movements advisor Paul Lidgett said: "At this stage the Environment Agency will not be releasing the name of any fishery being tested for KHV, as the last thing we want to do is deter fishery owners from coming forward if they suspect an outbreak in their waters.

"We recognise that anglers may be concerned about spreading the disease inadvertently. However, the likelihood of KHV being transferred between fisheries by anglers nets is negligible when compared to the threat via fish transfer, so stopping all fish movements at the infected sites is the best way of preventing the virus spreading further."

Although the risk from wet fishing tackle is very low, the Environment Agency is still encouraging fishery owners to adopt basic dis-infection measures to protect themselves against KHV and any other fish diseases.

In addition to the six confirmed cases of KHV, fish mortalities at five other fisheries have symptoms consistent with the KHV. Samples have been taken and laboratory results are expected this week.

While the Environment Agency has no power to close infected fisheries, they have advised fishery owners to impose their own biosecurity measures and to temporarily cease angling.

The Environment Agency considers Koi Herpesvirus to be a very significant threat to carp fisheries in England and Wales, though it is not uncommon to get a number of KHV outbreaks each year.

In fact, 16 cases of Koi Herpesvirus infection have been reported in UK fisheries since the disease was first detected in the wild in England and Wales in 2002. The virus develops clinical symptoms in infected fish when water temperatures are between 18°C and 28°C.

The Environment Agency is working with the affected fisheries to help them recover from the impact of the disease by providing advice on restocking and dis-infection. With the right fishery management there is no reason why these waters cannot recover from the current impact.

Paul Lidgett continued: "Koi Herpesvirus is not currently a notifiable disease under the EU Fish Health regime. This means there is no legal duty to report infections to Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Agriculture Science (Cefas), on Defra’s behalf, have no powers to impose movements orders themselves. Any controls are based entirely on Section 30 administered by the Environment Agency.

"However a new EU Fish Health Directive expected in September this year should change this, making KHV a notifiable disease. We welcome this as it would give Cefas powers to investigate KHV mortalities and to trace the source of the outbreak. It would also place a legal duty on fishery owners to report suspected KHV mortalities on their sites."

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SALTER SECURES BREAKTHROUGH OVER FISH KILLER VIRUS
Jul 24,2006 by Julian Grattidge


Reading West M.P Martin Salter, who is also Labour’s Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling has today secured an assurance from the government that the deadly Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) is to be designated a notifiable disease. This follows at least six outbreaks of KHV in recent weeks in fisheries in the South, East and Midlands. KHV is one of the most lethal viruses with recorded mortality rates of up to 98%. The increase in fish movements to provide stock for both angling and ornamental ponds and lakes has made it more likely that KHV could be spread widely across the U.K. with devastating consequences for anglers, fish farmers, and fishery owners.

Martin Salter raised the issue in the Commons at DEFRA questions and linked the proposed cut of £400,000 in the Environment Agency fisheries budget to the need to take action to try and prevent the spread of the KHV virus.

In his question Martin Salter said:

“The Minister will be aware that this wholly unwelcome cut of £400,000 in the Fisheries budget threatens to adversely affect the ability of the Environment Agency to combat the spread of lethal fish diseases such as the Koi Herpes Virus, several outbreaks of which have recently occurred in the U.K.

On behalf of Britain’s 3.5 million anglers can I ask him what action does he propose to take to halt the spread of K.H.V. which is the aquatic equivalent of foot and mouth disease?”

In reply Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw acknowledged the serious threat posed by the virus and confirmed for the first time that the government intends to make KHV a notifiable disease. This will require fishery owners to report suspected KHV mortalities in their waters.

Martin Salter said:

“I’m delighted that Ben Bradshaw has listened to Britain’s anglers and in particular to organisations such as the English Carp Heritage Organisation (ECHO) who have been lobbying for KHV to be added to the list of notifiable fish diseases. This was an issue raised at the recent Angling Summit that I held in the House of Commons and shows the value of bringing together organisations representing Britain’s 3.5million anglers and giving them direct access to government ministers. KHV is a lethal threat to carp stocks the length and breadth of the country and if it was to become widespread the pleasure of millions and the livelihoods of many would be ruined.”

The announcement was welcomed by both ECHO and the Fisheries Angling Conservation Trust (FACT).

A representative from ECHO said:

“KHV is potentially the biggest threat to our country’s carp stocks in recent times. ECHO has worked for numerous years to highlight this deadly disease among fisheries and the angling world.

The impact of this virus on the industry could be huge and the news that it is to be made notifiable is a giant step forward in maintaining our fisheries health status.

We urge all relevant government agencies to achieve the notifiable status of KHV in as short a timescale as is humanly possible”.