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Declarations

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) declarations of reportable disease status describe:

It should be noted that not all susceptible species of aquatic animals are infected with the reportable disease if they reside in an infected area.

Currently, only finfish and mollusc reportable diseases are known to occur in Canada. No reportable diseases that affect crustaceans are declared at this time.

For finfish, the reportable diseases that occur in certain areas of Canada are:

Specific strains of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) will be declared:

For molluscs, the reportable diseases that occur in certain areas:

The description of the declared areas made under section 198 of the Health of Animals Regulations is solely for the purpose of determining whether a permit is required to move a declared species of finfish or mollusc for a declared end use within Canada. These descriptions cannot be used for any other federal, provincial or municipal legislative or regulatory requirement.

The declarations will be made for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, the Yukon Territory and parts of the territorial sea and contiguous zone of Canada.

For the purposes of issuing a permit, the internal waters that are marine in nature and landward of the internal boundary of the territorial sea of Canada (as described by the Oceans Act of Canada) are part of the declaration of the coastal provinces. Most, if not all, of the finfish and mollusc culture activities in marine waters are captured in the declarations of the coastal provinces, not the territorial sea and contiguous zone of Canada.

No declarations will be made at this time for Nunavut and the Northwest Territories as there is no identified trade of high risk aquatic animals or things from or to those areas.

Permits for finfish

A permit may be required to move the listed species of live or raw, fresh or frozen finfish including germplasm and fertilized eggs, for the following end uses:

This table lists the finfish species that may require a permit. All hybrids of these species will also require a permit.

List of finfish species, common name and the diseases they are susceptible to
Finfish Species Common Name Disease Susceptibility
Acipenser transmontanus white sturgeon infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Ambloplites rupestris rock bass viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Ameiurus nebulosus brown bullhead viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Ammodytes hexapterus Pacific sand lance viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Ammodytes personatus Pacific sand eel viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Anguilla anguilla European eel infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Aplodinotus grunniens freshwater drum viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Aulorhynchus flavidus tube snout infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Carrasius auratus goldfish infectious pancreatic necrosis
Catostomus commersonii white sucker infectious pancreatic necrosis
Clupea harengus Atlantic herring viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Clupea pallasii Pacific herring infectious haematopoietic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Coregonus artedii lake herring viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Coregonus clupeaformis lake whitefish viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Cymatogaster aggregate shiner perch infectious haematopoietic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Cyprinus carpio (koi) common carp (koi carp) infectious pancreatic necrosis
Dorosoma cepedianum American gizzard shad viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Esox masquinongy muskellunge viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Esox lucius northern pike infectious haematopoietic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Fundulus heteroclitus mummichog viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVc
Gadus morhua Atlantic cod infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Gadus macrocephalus Pacific cod viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Gasterosteus aculeatus three-spined stickleback viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVc
Ictalurus punctatus channel catfish viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Lepomis gibbosus pumpkinseed viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Lepomis macrochirus bluegill viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Lota lota burbot viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Merluccius productus North Pacific hake viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Microgadus proximus Pacific tomcod viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Micropterus dolomieu smallmouth bass viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Micropterus salmoides largemouth black bass viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Morone americana white perch viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Morone chrysops white bass viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Morone saxatilis striped bass infectious pancreatic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVc
Moxostoma anisurum silver redhorse viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Moxostoma macrolepidotum shorthead redhorse viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Neogobius melanostomus round goby viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Notropis atherinoides emerald shiner viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Notropis hudsonius spottail shiner viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Oncorhynchus clarkii cutthroat trout ceratomyxosis
infectious haematopoietic necrosis infectious pancreatic necrosis
whirling disease
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha pink salmon ceratomyxosis
Oncorhynchus keta chum salmon ceratomyxosis
infectious haematopoietic necrosis infectious pancreatic necrosis
Oncorhynchus kisutch coho salmon ceratomyxosis
infectious haematopoietic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
whirling disease
Oncorhynchus masou Masu salmon infectious haematopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
Oncorhynchus mykiss rainbow trout ceratomyxosis
infectious haemtopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
infectious salmon anaemia
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
whirling disease
Oncorhynchus nerka sockeye salmon ceratomyxosis
infectious haematopoietic necrosis
whirling disease
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha chinook salmon ceratomyxosis
infectious haematopoietic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
whirling disease
Perca flavescens American yellow perch viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Percopsis omiscomaycus trout-perch viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Pimephales notatus bluntnose minnow viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Pimephales promelas fathead minnow viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Plecoglossus altivelis ayu infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Pomoxis nigromaculatus black crappie viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Prosopium williamsoni rocky-mountain whitefish whirling disease
Salmo salar Atlantic salmon ceratomyxosis
infectious haematopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
infectious salmon anaemia
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
whirling disease
Salmo trutta brown trout infectious haematopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
infectious salmon anaemia
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVc
whirling disease
Salvelinus alpinus Arctic char infectious haematopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
Salvelinus confluentus bull trout whirling disease
Salvelinus fontinalis brook trout infectious haematopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
whirling disease
Salvelinus leucomaenis whitespotted char infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Salvelinus malma Dolly Varden infectious pancreatic necrosis
Salvelinus namaycush lake trout infectious haematopoietic necrosis
infectious pancreatic necrosis
viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Sander vitreus walleye viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVb
Sardinops sagax South American pilchard viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Scomber japonicus chub mackerel viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Theragra chalcogramma Alaska pollack viral haemorrhagic septicaemia IVa
Thymallus arcticus Arctic grayling infectious haematopoietic necrosis
Thymallus thymallus grayling infectious pancreatic necrosis

A CFIA permit is not required if the finfish species is not listed in the above table.

Permits for molluscs

A permit may be required to move the following species of live or raw, fresh or frozen molluscs for the following end uses:

This table lists the molluscan species that may require a permit. All hybrids of these species will also require a permit.

List of mollusc species, common name and the diseases they are susceptible to
Mollusc Species Common Name Disease Susceptibility
Crassostrea ariakensis suminoe oyster Bonamia ostreae
Crassostrea gigas Pacific cupped oyster Haplosporidium nelsoni
Mikrocytos mackini
Crassostrea virginica American oyster Haplosporidium nelsoni
Microcytos mackini
Ostrea angasi southern flat oyster Bonamia ostreae
Ostrea chilensis Chilean flat oyster Bonamia ostreae
Ostrea conchaphila Olympia oyster Mikrocytos mackini
Ostrea denselamellosa asiatic oyster Bonamia ostreae
Ostrea edulis European flat oyster Bonamia ostreae
Mikroctyos mackini
Ostrea lutaria New Zealand dredge oyster Bonamia ostreae
Ostrea puelchana argentinean flat oyster Bonamia ostreae

A CFIA permit is not required if the mollusc species is not listed in the above table.

Permits for things

A permit may be required to move any of the following:

for any of the following end uses:

To determine if a permit is required to send aquatic animals or things:

  1. Identify all the finfish or molluscs diseases that apply for the species to be moved. For a thing, identify all the finfish diseases.
  2. Select the declaration Finfish Reportable Diseases or Mollusc Reportable Diseases where the aquatic animals or things are located and determine if they reside in an infected area, buffer area, provisionally free area or free area for each identified disease.
  3. Select the declaration Finfish Reportable Diseases or Mollusc Reportable Diseases where the animal or thing will be moved to and determine if the destination is an infected area, buffer area, provisionally free area or free area for each identified disease. A permit is needed if the aquatic animals or things will be moved from a:
    • declared infected area to a declared buffer area, provisionally-free area or free area
    • declared buffer area to another declared buffer area, provisionally-free area or free area, or
    • declared provisionally-free area to a declared free area, for at least one disease.

For example, to move live rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) located in Collingwood, Ontario for the end use of culture to an aquaculture operation in Brandon, Manitoba, a permit is required because the Atlantic Ocean watershed of Ontario is an infected area for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) IVb and Manitoba is a free area for VHS IVb.

Important definitions

Biological Vector
refers to the intermediate host that is required to complete the life cycle of Ceratomyxa shasta (ceratomyxosis) and Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease). The intermediate host for ceratomyxosis is the freshwater worm Manayunkia speciosa and the intermediate host for whirling disease is the freshwater worm Tubifex tubifex.
Cryopreservation/Storage
refers to the end use of a commercial process for putting the germplasm or fertilized eggs of aquatic animals into storage in liquid nitrogen. The cryopreserved animals are not owned by the commercial facility.
Culture
refers to the end use of keeping or holding of live aquatic animals for sale, or enhancement, restoration or stocking that may or may not employ some method of intervention in the process, such as feeding or collection of germplasm. This definition also includes the activities of salting up and relay. This definition excludes live aquatic animals kept in aquaria for the end use of education or display (private or public).
Diagnostic Testing
refers to the end use of aquatic animals (or parts derived from live or dead animals, such as blood), or other things for the purpose of testing for diseases of aquatic animals.
Depuration
means the process of using a controlled aquatic environment to reduce the level of bacteria and viruses in live molluscs.
Dry Storage
means the storage of live molluscs out of water.
Enhancement
means live aquatic animals that will be put directly into natural waterways for the purpose of augmenting commercial fisheries.
Feed for Finfish
refers to the end use of feeding live or dead finfish, including finfish germplasm or fertilized eggs, directly to live finfish.
Other Testing

refers to the end use of aquatic animals or their carcasses, or parts derived from live or dead aquatic animals, for testing for other purposes than detection of diseases of aquatic animals, for example, for nutrients and toxins;

refers to the end use of freshwater sediments, or derivatives from freshwater sediments, for testing for other purposes than detection of diseases of aquatic animals, for example, for biological oxygen demand and toxins.

Processing Commercial
refers to the end use of processing of molluscs at a federally-registered establishment and intended for human consumption. This definition includes the activities of depuration, dry storage, short-term container relaying, and wet storage.
Relay
means the transfer of molluscs from marginally contaminated areas to approved areas for natural biological cleansing, using the ambient environment as a treatment system for periods of 14 days or greater. Areas are approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
Release into Natural Waterways
means the end use of release of aquatic animals into the Canadian fisheries waters and the contiguous zone of Canada. This definition does not include aquatic animals that are kept or held in the natural waterways. Canadian fisheries waters means all waters in the fishing zones of Canada, all waters in the territorial sea of Canada and all internal waters of Canada (section 2 of the Fisheries Act).
Repair
includes maintenance.
Research
refers to the end use of aquatic animals, aquatic animal carcasses or things for scientific study or experimentation.
Restoration
means live aquatic animals that will be put directly into natural waterways for the purpose of bringing back a species into the ecosystem; the purpose may include restoration of recreational or commercial fishing opportunities.
Salting Up
means the transfer of molluscs from low salinity growing areas to high salinity growing areas to improve the growth and marketability of the mollusc for human consumption. Synonym: High Salinity Relay.
Short-term Container Relaying
means the transfer of live molluscs from marginally contaminated areas to approved areas for natural biological cleansing in a container using the ambient environment as a treatment system for periods of less than 14 days.
Stocking
means live aquatic animals that will be put directly into natural waterways for the purpose of augmenting recreational fishing.
Wet Storage
means the temporary storage (less than 60 days) of live molluscs from approved sources (harvest sites are approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)), intended for marketing, in containers or floats in natural bodies of seawater or in tanks containing natural or synthetic seawater.
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