FISH HEALTH MANAGEMENT 291 



broad in concept or may dictate pathogen eradication. The latter is much 

 more difficult to achieve, as it is possible to have disease control without 

 pathogen eradication. Inspection, quarantine, and subsequent eradication 

 are proven measures in livestock and poultry husbandry. 



After the goals of disease control have been established, it is necessary to 

 design a policy that is compatible with other fishery resource priorities. 

 The backbone of the policy should be a monitoring program that will 

 determine the range of serious fish pathogens and detect new outbreaks of 

 disease. Control and containment of fish diseases require the periodic ex- 

 amination of hatchery populations as well as fish that are free-ranging in 

 natural waters. Good health of hatchery fish extends beyond their cultural 

 confinement to natural populations which they contact after being stocked. 

 A monitoring program should include: 



(1) Fish health laboratories capable of following standardized procedures 

 used to analyze fish specimens. These may include tests for disease agents, 

 nutritional deficiencies, histology, tissue residues, etc. 



(2) A corps of competent, qualified individuals trained in inspection and 

 laboratory procedures. 



(3) A training program in fish health for all persons involved in fish hus- 

 bandry. 



(4) Agreements between various government agencies and private groups 

 to establish lines of communication as well as the storage and cataloging of 

 data derived from the monitoring program. 



(5) Specific guidelines for laboratory procedures to be followed and for 

 qualifications of persons doing the inspections and testing. 



(6) The development of specific steps for disease reporting and of a cer- 

 tification system. 



(7) Courses of action to control or eradicate a reportable disease when it 

 occurs. 



With this in mind, the Fish and Wildlife Service established a policy for 

 fish disease control and developed a plan to implement it. Basically, the 

 plan is designed to classify, suppress, and eradicate certain serious diseases 

 of salmonids present at facilities within the National Fish Hatchery System. 

 As far as nonsalmonids are concerned, sampling for serious diseases is left 

 to the discretion of Service biologists. Within the limits of existing techni- 

 cal capabilities and knowledge, the plan provides for determining specific 

 pathogen ranges within the National Fish Hatchery System, restricting 

 dissemination of fish pathogens, and eradicating certain disease agents from 

 federal fish hatcheries. The policy also provides a stimulus for research and 

 training which should result in significant advances in technical knowledge 

 concerning epizootiology, prevention, control, and diagnosis of various fish 



