DEFRA has outlined policy models for controlling KHV under its proposed notifiable status.
David Mullin of DEFRA told delegates at the OATA conference that it was considering three policy models.
The Industry Model, the Traditional Government Model and the Industry-Government Partnership are aimed at protecting against the commercial impact of the disease.
Mullin said that the UK now had an obligation to report outbreaks of KHV, as it is a member of the OIE - the World Organisation for Animal Health.
"We reported 23 outbreaks in September", said Mullin. "Unfortunately, one of the consequences of that was a lot of sensationalism on KHV. One of the knock-on effects of this was that people stopped going to fisheries that had been affected by KHV. That is a problem.
"The message that we're trying to get out is that once fisheries have had the disease there's no reason why commercial operations should not resume at those fisheries.
"We understand that quite a few fisheries have suffered commercially because they've been honest and gone to the authorities to say that they have a problem, and have sorted it out."
Industry ModelThe proposed Industry Model, says DEFRA, should make it possible to control KHV at the individual site level.
It says that this policy model needs a broad consensus on an overall approach between the different commercial interests of the industry.
The two main aspects of the policy model are:
- Improved biosecurity, including quarantine to keep new introductions separate from existing stock until KHV freedom is confirmed.
- Demanding suitable health attestation from suppliers, as part of commercial agreements, especially from areas where KHV infection is widespread.
Traditional Government ModelThe Traditional Government would apply full government measures to help control the spread of disease, complementing its notifiable status.
Extensive surveillance, monitoring and testing would be carried out on a regular basis at sites holding susceptible species.
The aims could be either to create an eradication programme or to confirm disease-free status.
In the event of an outbreak movement restrictions may be applied, the site would be "de-stocked" and disinfected.
Industry-Government Partnership ModelUnder the Industry-Government Partnership Model, the government would investigate outbreaks and identify high-risk areas of the industry.
The industry would then have to take precautionary steps to ensure that high-risk areas had high levels of biosecurity.
Codes of Practice would also need to be produced for all members of the industry to minimise the spread of the virus.
Consultation period"We can't just make it notifiable and do nothing about it", said Mullin. "We need to consider what we do next.
"The pressure for action comes from the adverse economic impact on commercial operations upon reporting the disease."
DEFRA released a consultation package on 31 October 2006 which includes the full details on the move towards notifiable status.
For more information visit the DEFRA website.