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Fish disease confirmed on another farm
18/09/1998
The fish disease, Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA), has been confirmed on a farm in Loch Nevis, bringing the total number of Scottish farms infected by the disease to ten.
The infected farm has been issued with a statutory notice requiring immediate slaughter of all fish on the site. Thereafter it will require to be disinfected and fallowed for a period.
Due to its proximity to the site where the outbreak first occurred in Scotland, this farm has been under strict movement restrictions and regular inspection since the outbreak of the disease was confirmed in May.
BACKGROUND
1. ISA is a disease of salmon in seawater. It is notifiable under the Diseases of Fish Act 1937 and is classified as a List I disease under the EC Fish Health regime which requires eradication action when an outbreak is confirmed.
2. Prior to this latest confirmation, nine sites had been declared infected and a further twelve suspected of being infected.
3. ISA has previously been identified in Norway and Canada where it is controlled, but this is the first outbreak in the European Community.
4. The disease poses no threat to human health.
5. Investigations into the original source of infection are well underway and The Scottish Office hopes to make more information available around the end of the month.
6. As a precautionary measure, shellfish farms in the infected areas have also been placed under temporary movement restrictions.
News Release: 1890/98
September 18, 1998