Canada's National Aquatic Animal Health Program (NAAHP)

Objective of the NAAHP

Canada's multi-billion dollar fish and seafood import and export industry depends on aquatic animals* and their products. As well, equally valuable activities within Canada rely on aquatic resources, such as recreational fishing, ornamental hobbyists, and live-holding facilities. Protection against the introduction or spread of serious infectious disease is important for all these industries and for safeguarding Canada's aquatic resources.

The NAAHP is a science-based regulatory program built on the Health of Animals Act. This meets national and international standards for animal health control measures, including those for aquatic animals, set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

* For the purpose of the NAAHP, aquatic animals are defined as finfish, molluscs and crustaceans.

Delivery of the NAAHP

The NAAHP is co-delivered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The CFIA is the lead federal agency under the authority of the Health of Animals Act and DFO provides the scientific expertise to support the program.

Input into the development of the NAAHP is managed through the national Aquatic Animal Health Committee that includes representatives from all Canadian provinces and territories; Aboriginal and First Nations Peoples' associations; wild and farmed industry associations; veterinary associations; and academia.

Elements of the NAAHP

The NAAHP is comprised of eight interdependent elements:

• legislative and regulatory framework;
• export health certification;
• import control;
• domestic disease control;
• surveillance;
• risk assessment;
• laboratory testing; and
• research.

These support federal measures aimed at preventing introduction and/or spread of regulated diseases. Activities touched by these measures include:

• export market access for live aquatic animals and certain commodities;
• imports of live aquatic animals and certain products; e.g., for aquaculture; aquarium trade, fishery enhancement, processing, and live aquatic animals for food; and
• domestic aquatic animal movements, e.g., for aquaculture, fishery enhancement, recreational, and baitfish purposes.

Legislative and Regulatory Framework

The Health of Animals Act currently protects Canada's terrestrial wild and farmed animals from listed infectious diseases. Canada is in the process of amending regulations under the Act to provide protection for wild and farmed aquatic animals against serious infectious diseases.

Note: until these regulatory amendments are completed, regulations under the Fisheries Act remain in effect.

Export Health Certification

Health certification for Canadian aquatic animal exports is based on importing country requirements, and is required to support access to those markets. Therefore, the CFIA needs information from industry on which markets are being targeted for Canadian exports so certification requirements can be assessed well in advance of planned exports.

Officials in the NAAHP Import/Export section also monitor changes in international standards, set by the OIE, and trade partners through the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure that Canadian industry sectors affected are notified in a timely manner so they can make business adjustments as necessary.

Import Controls

Import controls prevent reportable and notifiable diseases from being introduced into Canada. These are usually based on risk assessments that take into account the health status of the exporting country and the intended end uses in Canada.

Domestic Disease Control

The Domestic Disease Program is designed to respond to detection of diseases in Canada or a part of Canada believed to be free of the disease.

Implementation and respective roles and responsibilities are being developed with government and non-government stakeholder input.

Surveillance

Surveillance provides knowledge to support proof of freedom from regulated diseases, assists in the investigation of disease outbreaks and allows Canadian exporters to meet certification requirements of importing countries. It ensures the early detection of disease, identifies which populations are affected, and establishes where effective control measures need to be undertaken.

Risk Assessment

Risk assessments provide the scientific knowledge necessary to support the regulatory controls and policy development for many elements of the NAAHP. Risk assessments are used to identify where regulatory control measures are required, or not, and identify research needs where required information is lacking.

Laboratory Testing

DFO oversees the laboratory testing required for export certification, surveillance, risk assessment, disease investigation and emergency response. DFO's national reference laboratories provide quality diagnostic testing for reportable diseases and provide confirmatory diagnostic testing: i) for suspect detections by other laboratories; ii) in response to suspicious die-offs in farmed or wild stocks of aquatic animals; and iii) for diseases that Canada (CFIA) is obliged to report to the OIE.

Research

Aquatic animal health is a rapidly developing science. Research is essential for keeping control measures valid and up-to-date. The DFO laboratory system includes the Centre of Expertise for Aquatic Animal Health Research and Diagnostics, which undertakes or oversees research required to fill gaps in knowledge that impact regulatory decision-making.

Summary

Prevention of the introduction or spread of serious diseases is essential for effective protection of Canada's aquatic resources and for maintaining Canada's seafood industry's competitive access to international markets. The NAAHP is focused on meeting these goals.

For more information on the NAAHP, call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 or visit www.inspection.gc.ca.

For DFO areas of responsibility visit www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science.