Appendix I - COLD BLOODED WILDLIFE INSPECTION PROCEDURES
Section 1. General Requirements. A certificate of veterinary inspection is currently required only for all salmonid fishes (trout, salmon, grayling, whitefish), and for northern pike and carp originating from outside North America. Fish health inspections shall be conducted by approved inspecting agents. All inspections shall be conducted in accordance with the accepted guidelines in the latest edition of the "Suggested Procedures for the Detection and Identification of Certain Finfish and Shellfish Pathogens" (Bluebook) published by the Fish Health Section of the American Fisheries Society or supplement to this Appendix. Generally accepted new or alternative procedures may be used for the detection and diagnosis of listed or unlisted pathogens if such procedures are approved by the Technical Procedures Committee of the Fish Health Section/American Fisheries Society.
Permits to import cold blooded wildlife, or letters of authorization relating to private fish stocking, private fish hatcheries, private fishing preserves, live bait dealers, or landowner fishing lakes and ponds may be conditioned on inspection of other species or for other pathogens not listed in this appendix when it is determined by the Department through review of documented cases that importation or transportation of said species or pathogens pose significant health risks to Wyoming's wildlife.
No cold-blooded wildlife showing clinical signs or suspected clinical signs (lethargic behavior, abnormal mortality, lesions, etc.) of disease shall be imported. Suspected disease in any captive cold blooded wildlife shall be reported to the Department immediately.
Section 2. Required Inspections. All appropriate inspections shall be completed by an inspecting agent and reported on a form approved by the Department before anyone shall import, transport or possess live fish, fertilized eggs or live fish gametes in Wyoming. An approved laboratory technician is authorized only for compliance collection of non-lethal samples (ovarian or seminal fluids) for a brood stock fish health inspection after the initial lethal and non-lethal sampling has been conducted by either an aquatic animal health inspector or fish pathologist. On the basis of these inspections the Department may authorize fish importation, possession, transportation and stocking.
A copy of a current fish health inspection report form shall accompany each shipment of live salmonid fish, fertilized eggs or gametes scheduled for importation into Wyoming, and shall also be on file with the Department a minimum of seven (7) working days prior to importation. This form shall include appropriate inspection data for all lots of fish present at the shipping aquaculture facility. If any lot(s) of fish present at the shipping aquaculture facility originated from a brood stock not located at the shipping aquaculture facility, a current inspection report for that brood stock source shall also accompany each shipment and shall also be submitted to the Department as stated above. Under special circumstances, the Department may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Any exception shall be based upon a formal written proposal submitted to the Department by the entity requesting the exception. Exceptions shall be granted only if the probability of introducing a prohibited or notifiable pathogen is virtually impossible under the proposed conditions and handling. Any exceptions shall be written matters of record, including rationale.
(a) Species of Concern.
(i) A certificate of veterinary inspection (fish health inspection report) shall be required for all salmonid fishes, fertilized eggs and gametes; and for northern pike and carp originating from outside North America.
(ii) Other species not belonging to the family Salmonidae, that are present at a facility which rears salmonid fishes, may be subject to sampling if deemed necessary by the Department. A current
disease free salmonid fish health inspection shall accompany any non-salmonid fish transported from a facility rearing salmonid species.
(b) Pathogens of Concern. The fish health inspection report shall include a report on the occurrence of the following pathogens:
(i) Prohibited Pathogens
Ceratomyxosis of Salmonids - Ceratomyxa shasta Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis - IHN virus Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis of Salmonids -IPN virus Proliferative Kidney Disease (PKD) Rhabdovirus Disease of Northern Pike Fry - PFR Spring Viremia of Carp - Rhabdovirus carpio Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia of Salmonids - VHS virus Herpesvirus salmonis Type 2
(ii) Notifiable Pathogens
Bacterial Kidney Disease - Renibacterium salmoninarum
Enteric Redmouth - Yersinia ruckeri
Furunculosis - Aeromonas salmonicida
Whirling Disease of Salmonids - Myxobolus cerebralis
(iii) Reportable Pathogens
Any diseases/pathogens not listed but which are known to be present or are detected during inspections shall be reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The above classification and list of pathogens may be amended by Commission action as more knowledge becomes available.
Inspecting agents are encouraged to perform routine fish health surveillance (monitoring) in the absence of required inspections. In addition, general health history of aquaculture facilities shall be made available, on request, to all fish and fish egg transfer recipients.
(c) Frequency of Inspections
(i) Annual fish health inspections performed by an inspecting agent shall be mandatory for any in-state facility that cultures, holds, sells, or stocks live fish, fertilized eggs or gametes.
(ii) The Department shall establish schedules for disease inspection of all state facilities and wild brood stock populations, and all in-state private facilities; see that inspections are conducted; and see that results are reported to all appropriate individuals.
(iii) State of Wyoming inspecting agents shall be responsible for inspecting state fish culture facilities; wild, free-ranging brood stocks, and in-state private hatcheries and aquaculture units.
(iv) A formal request by the owner shall be required before an inspecting agent conducts an inspection of any in-state private hatchery or aquaculture unit. A completed departmental application shall be submitted to the Department to request this inspection. The applicant for inspection is legally accountable for completeness and accuracy of information supplied in the application and to the inspecting agents.
(v) Fish health inspections within the past twelve (12) months shall be required prior to importation of species listed in this appendix. Inspection reports shall be received by the Department prior to authorizing or permitting importation or sale.
(vi) The Department may require additional fish health inspections in response to fish health concerns.
(vii) Any person importing, possessing or transporting live fish, fertilized eggs or live fish gametes in Wyoming shall allow immediate inspection upon request of Department personnel. The Department shall have the right to inspect and collect samples (including lethal samples) for disease testing, species identification or other purposes to protect Wyoming's fisheries resource.
(d) Sample Procedures
(i) Determining Sample Size
The minimum sample size for each lot offish shall be in accordance with a plan which provides at least 95% confidence of detecting a pathogen (see table below). Attribute sampling shall be based upon the assumption of a pathogen's prevalence in facilities (hatcheries) or free-ranging (wild) populations as follows:
| Assumed Prevalence of Pathogens | ||
| 2% | 5% | |
| Population of Lot Size | Size of Sample Required | |
| 50 | 50 | 35 |
| 100 | 75 | 4 5 |
| 250 | 110 | 50 |
| 500 | 130 | 55 |
| 1,000 | 140 | 55 |
| 2,000 | 145 | 60 |
| 10,000 | 145 | 60 |
| 100,000 or greater | 150 | 60 |
(ii) Production Fish
Viral-sample all lots, including brood stock lots, at the 5% (or lower) level of assumed prevalence of listed pathogens. This pertains to lethal sampling of both hatchery and wild populations.
When sampling for detection of bacterial kidney disease, enteric redmouth and furunculosis, the minimum sampling shall be sixty (60) fish from each water supply at each facility.
When sampling for detection of Salmonid Whirling Disease, the minimum sample shall be 60 fish (heads, including gill arches) of each representative lot at an accumulative minimum of 1,800 CTU (CTU=sum of the average daily water temperature in degrees Celsius) exposure at the time of inspection for each water source, and 900 CTU for an individual lot certification. Any fish lot sampled must be on the same water source for a minimum of 900 CTU. Also, the representative water source sample shall be biased toward fish species most susceptible to whirling disease (susceptibility in approximate decreasing order: rainbow, golden, brown, brook, cutthroat, and kokanee salmon). Additional samples, independent of water source assessments, may be required of individual lots if rearing conditions (e.g. dirt ponds) are conducive to enabling the parasite life cycle.
(iii) Brood stocks
Sample all brood stock lots at the 5% (or lower) level of assumed prevalence of listed pathogens annually (if adequate numbers of brood stock fish are available). This pertains to non-lethal sampling (collection of ovarian and seminal fluids). Ovarian fluid samples must account for the majority (60 samples or greater) of the collective reproductive product.
(A) Unless defined below as brood stock development for genetic sources, Section II (d)(iv), establishment of a disease free brood stock will require three consecutive annual fish health inspections prior to the clearance and use of these gametes for the development of a confined fish population. Fish health inspections will include sampling all age classes of the brood stock population held at the facility. A complete disease free fish health inspection of the brood stock population must be completed on the third year prior to use of gametes.
(iv) Genetic Sources
Development of brood stocks or infusion of new genes into existing brood stocks may result in situations which do not lend themselves to standard fish health inspection procedures as described elsewhere in this regulation. In order to facilitate development and maintenance of genetic sources, the following procedures shall be used to meet brood stock needs and ensure that brood stocks and receiving facilities remain free of serious fish pathogens:
(A) When sufficient numbers offish are available, and there are no biological or sociological problems associated with sacrificing the prescribed numbers offish, then the standard sampling procedures described in this regulation shall be followed.
(B) When dealing with small domestic brood stocks or exceptionally long-lived brood stocks (e.g. lake trout) with a current disease free inspection and no infusion of new fish or fish eggs, progeny from the brood stock shall be used for lethal samples at the prescribed number to meet inspection requirements provided the progeny are held in the same water supply in (or downstream from) the same rearing space for a minimum of four (4) months prior to inspection.
(C) When population numbers of wild fish are limited or it is not feasible to capture adequate numbers of fish to meet prescribed inspection sample size, then one of the following procedures shall be used under Department authorization:
(aa) When wild fish are too rare to sacrifice the following shall occur:
1) From the fish available, collect and hold ovarian and seminal fluids, and if available fecal material in separate containers;
2) Disinfect fertilized eggs in 100 mg/1 active iodine for 10-15 minutes at collection site or at an isolation facility;
3) Incubate and hatch eggs under quarantine (isolation facility) conditions;
4) Raise fish at an isolation facility to a size of 2 inches in length;
5) Conduct lethal sampling on these fish at the 2% assumed prevalence level (150 fish) for a complete fish health inspection;
6) If these samples are found to be disease free, this lot of fish can then be considered disease-free for brood stock recruitment;
7) If serious fish pathogens are found in the parent fish, the eggs or fish shall be destroyed and the isolation facilities disinfected.
(bb) When wild parent fish can be sacrificed or when dealing with cryopreservation or extension of sperm for use in infusing new genes into existing brood stocks, the following shall occur:
1) Collect samples, disinfect eggs, and incubate eggs as above, (a)(l-3);
2) Conduct 100% lethal sampling on parent fish (for kidney, spleen, etc.);
3) If parent fish are found to be disease-free, the eggs and resulting fish can be considered disease-free;
4) If serious fish pathogens are found in the parent fish, the eggs or fish shall be destroyed and the isolation facilities disinfected.
Section 3. Prohibited Pathogens: Courses of Action.
(a) Fish, fertilized egg, or gamete sources outside Wyoming with occurrence of prohibited pathogens shall not be permitted to import or stock fish, fertilized eggs, or gametes into the State of Wyoming until appropriate disinfection or depopulation procedures have been conducted and until any and all remaining fish lots have been subsequently inspected twice within a six (6) month period at least one (1) month apart by an inspecting agent and found to be free of prohibited pathogens.
(b) Upon confirmation of the finding of a prohibited pathogen in any facility within Wyoming, steps shall be taken by the Department and other appropriate officials, as necessary, to immediately have all lots offish and eggs at the facility incinerated or buried (deep burial utilizing lime). Complete chemical disinfection of said facility shall then be immediately planned and executed to minimize the risk of establishment or spread of the pathogen. Two consecutive inspections shall be conducted by an inspecting agent within a six (6) month period to determine that there is no occurrence of the prohibited pathogen prior to stocking any fish, fertilized eggs, or gametes.
(c) If at any time an inspecting agent finds, suspects or becomes aware of the presence of one or more pathogens listed as prohibited at any site within Wyoming, the agent shall immediately contact the Chief of Fisheries. The inspecting agent shall, within five (5) days, initiate action to confirm presence or absence of the pathogen. If positive identification is made, the agent shall immediately notify the Chief of Fisheries who shall initiate Reasonable Action as defined in this regulation. All incidents offish disease shall be treated in accordance with actions specified in this regulation.
Section 4. Notifiable Pathogens: Courses of Action.
(a) Upon confirmation of the finding of a notifiable pathogen in any facility which raises, imports or transports fish or fish gametes in or into Wyoming, the inspecting agent and owner of the facility shall immediately notify the Department.
(b) Infected lots, if not destroyed, shall be quarantined and treated with the best available technology to eradicate the pathogen. Each lot within the entire facility shall be inspected twice within a six (6) month period at least one (1) month apart to determine that no notifiable pathogens remain prior to authorization to resume normal operations. Stocking of infected fish into the waters of Wyoming shall be prohibited.
(c) During this interval, no fish shall be transferred to another facility. Non-infected lots may be stocked, with written permission by the Department, only into waters that would pose no threat to naturally reproducing fish populations (i.e. isolated "stock ponds" with no outlet or effluent). The course of action to solve the fish health problems shall be prescribed in writing by the Department.
(d) If at any time an inspecting agent finds, suspects or becomes aware of the presence of a notifiable pathogen at any site within Wyoming, the agent shall immediately contact the Chief of Fisheries. The inspecting agent shall, within five (5) days, initiate action to confirm presence or absence of the pathogen. If positive identification is made, the agent shall immediately notify the Chief of Fisheries who shall initiate Reasonable Action as defined in this regulation. All incidents offish disease shall be treated in accordance with actions specified in this regulation.
(e) Contingent on approval by the Chief of Fisheries, fertilized or eyed eggs may be shipped from facilities or brood stock sources infected with Enteric Redmouth (Yersinia ruckeri) or Furunculosis (Aeromonas salmonicida) if eggs are disinfected prior to shipment and again upon receipt with 100 mg/1 active iodine for 10-15 minutes.
Section 5. Reportable Pathogens: Courses of Action. Reportable pathogens include all other organisms known to cause disease in fish but inspection is not required. However, any pathogen found incidental to inspection shall be reported.