Health & Welfare
5.10.6 Health and Welfare
General Principles
Living aquatic organisms should be handled as little as possible. Operators shall ensure that they meet legislative requirement as appropriate.
Note refer to Animal Welfare Act
The cause of outbreaks of disease or infection should be identified, and management practices implemented to prevent the causative events and future outbreaks. When treatment is necessary the use of natural methods and medicines should be a first choice.
Disease treatment should be carried out so that it minimises harmful effects on the environment.
Standards
5.10.6.1 Conventional, veterinary medicinal products may only be used if no other justifiable alternative is available, and/or if the treatment is required by legislation. If an organism becomes sick or injured despite preventive measures that animal shall be treated promptly and adequately. Operators shall not withhold medication where is will result in the unnecessary suffering of the organism, even if the use of such medication will cause the organism to lose its organic status.
If veterinary medicinal products are used, the length of the withholding periods shall be not less than double of that required by legislation, or a minimum of 48 hours, whichever is longer.
The use of chemical allopathic veterinary drugs and antibiotics is prohibited for invertebrates.
5.10.6.2 Prophylactic use of veterinary drugs, except vaccinations in certain cases (see 6.6.3.), is prohibited. The use of malachite green or formalin is not permitted as fungal treatment of eggs.
5.10.6.3 Vaccinations are permitted if diseases that cannot be controlled by other management techniques are known to exist in the region. Vaccinations are also permitted if mandatory under applicable legislation.
Genetically engineered vaccines are prohibited.
5.10.6.4 Synthetic hormones and growth promoters are prohibited.
5.10.6.5 Current, accurate disease management records shall be kept. The records shall include:
- identification of the infected and infecting organisms concerned
- details of treatment and duration, including application rate, method of application, frequency of repetition, concentration of organisms
- brand names of drugs used and active ingredients
5.10.6.6 In case of irregular behaviour by the organisms, the water quality shall be analysed and adjusted as necessary according to the needs of the organisms.
5.10.6.7 Aquatic animals shall not be subject to any kind of mutilation.
