Utah Admin. Code R58-17-7 - Timely Reporting of Aquatic Animal Pathogens and Emergency Response Procedures
(1) Persons
involved in aquaculture, fee fishing, public aquaculture or engaged in
activities permitted by Rule R58-27, R657-3, R657-53, or R657-59, shall report
having knowledge of the existence of any of the diseases in the Aquatic Animal
Health Inspection Policy, to the department, or the division pursuant to
Subsection 4-37-503(2)(b).
(2) A presumptive pathogen finding of a
prohibited, restricted, or reportable pathogen as listed in Aquatic Animal
Health Inspection Policy shall be reported to either the department or the
division, whichever is the responsible agency according to the location where
evidence of a pathogen was found. These agencies will report the presumptive
evidence to each other. "Presumptive evidence" is when laboratory testing has
demonstrated preliminary evidence of a pathogen, but the presence or identity
of the pathogen has not yet been confirmed by other required
procedures.
(3) Any records
documenting the reporting or investigation of presumptive evidence of a
prohibited, restricted, or reportable pathogen in a public or private aquatic
animal population are classified as protected records under Section 63-2-304.
The records shall retain the protected classification until the pathogen is
confirmed and they will be classified as public records under Section
63-2-301.
(4) A confirmed finding
is when the presumptive evidence for a pathogen has been validated by required
procedures in the Aquatic Animal Health Inspection Policy. A confirmed finding
of a prohibited, restricted, or reportable pathogen from any source shall be
immediately reported to the State Veterinarian and the Director of the
division. The agency that governs the facility will report the finding to the
Chair of the Board in writing within five calendar days and provide a report to
the Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The written report shall
contain the following information:
(a) agency
involved in detecting the pathogen;
(b) owner or operator of the aquatic
facility;
(c) laboratory involved
in the testing;
(d) geographic
location of the finding;
(e)
information on the affected aquatic animal population, such as species and age
group;
(f) pathogen
found;
(g) dates of sample
collection and testing;
(h)
laboratory method used;
(i)
preliminary plan of action from the agency emergency response team;
and
(j) confirmatory test
used.
(5) The department
and the division will each maintain a standing emergency response team headed
by a fish specialist or pathologist.
(a) For
the department, the standing emergency response team will consist of a
Department fish health specialist or pathologist, the state veterinarian or
that person's designee, a division fish health staff member, and the operator
of the affected facility. The Department Emergency Response team is charged
with responding to situations involving pathogens at aquaculture facilities,
fee fishing facilities, and any out-of-state source.
(b) For the division, the standing emergency
response team will consist of a division fish pathologist, the chief of
aquatics or that person's designee, a member of the department such as the
State Veterinarian or fish health specialist, and the operator of the affected
facility manager or owner. The division emergency response team is charged with
responding to situations involving pathogens at public aquaculture facilities,
private ponds, and free range populations of aquatic animals in waters of the
state.
(c) Emergency response teams
may be enlarged at the discretion of the agency.
(6) The standing emergency response team from
the agency in charge will initiate further testing procedures and will manage
and monitor the episode until the pathogen has been confirmed or negated.
Emergency response teams are responsible for developing and executing action
plans to respond to presumptive or confirmed findings of prohibited or
restricted pathogens. They will develop plans and initiate actions to:
(a) identify suggested sources of personnel
and funds for responding to a particular situation;
(b) assess the need for and feasibility of
various courses of action;
(c)
evaluate the need for, and the extent and details of a quarantine or other
constraining action;
(d)
investigate the history of aquatic animal or water movement to and from the
affected site and consider other methods or routes of pathogen
transfer;
(e) evaluate laboratory
findings;
(f) determine disposition
of the affected aquatic animal population;
(g) establish appropriate sanitation and
disinfection of the site, as needed;
(h) evaluate the need for a laboratory
surveys of other populations in the quarantine zone and determine
disposition;
(i) recommend when,
if, and under what conditions a quarantine may be lifted and if any
restrictions remain in effect;
(j)
implement a follow-up inspection plan; and
(k) evaluate the need for involvement of law
enforcement personnel.
(7) If a confirmatory test negates the
presence of a prohibited or restricted pathogen, the emergency response team
will be dissolved, any team initiated actions terminated, and any quarantine
released upon agency receipt of the confirmatory test report.
(8) In the event of a confirmed finding of
prohibited or restricted pathogens:
(a) the
Board may become involved in overseeing response procedures;
(b) the Board may consider enlarging the
emergency response team as needed to possibly include representatives from
other government agencies, representatives from various constituent groups, law
enforcement personnel, or outside experts;
(c) the emergency response team will submit a
follow-up report to the Board after initial response procedures have been
completed but before a quarantine is lifted and before a follow-up inspection
plan is implemented; and
(d) the
Board will report on emergency response procedures and Board decisions to the
commissioner of the department and the Director of the division.
Notes
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