Aquaculture - Disease Management Areas - February 2019

Management Areas were established in the Final Report of the Joint Government/Industry Working Group on Infectious Salmon Anaemia in January 2000, based on tidal excursions around active farms. Farms with overlapping tidal excursions will usually be within the same management area.

Recommendations include that all sites within the same management area follow an acceptable stocking strategy (see figure 10.1 in Code of Practice) such that fallowing within a management area is synchronised. Fish farmers are encouraged to look carefully at the areas before stocking sites. New sites that would have no effect on management areas or are in management areas of their own pose less of a risk to the spread of disease than those which bridge management areas.

Stocking a previously unused site that may bridge management areas should be avoided. Fish Farmers should consider not restocking a site if it would create a "fire break" and split one of the larger management areas into two smaller areas.

The Management Area Maps will be updated when a change in site use leads to a significant change a management area but if you require a map showing the effect of stocking or inactivating a specific site please contact the Duty Inspector at the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI)