Quarantine
“Quarantine” is defined by the OIE (2007) as “...maintaining a group of aquatic animals in isolation with no direct or indirect contact with other aquatic animals, in order to undergo observation for a specified length of time and, if appropriate, testing and treatment, including proper treatment of the effluent waters.” Quarantine is thus an important risk management measure and a key activity that should be considered by national governments when developing national strategies for aquatic animal health management. It can also be used effectively to increase biosecurity at the farm production level, for example, in shrimp hatcheries (Anon. 2007; Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service. 2003).
Quarantine should be seen as one of a wide range of risk management options that can be applied, either alone or in combination, to reduce the risk posed by exotic aquatic animal pathogens. Establishing and maintaining a quarantine facility with a high containment level can be demanding in terms of the human and financial resources required. The decision of whether or not to require quarantine or other biosecurity measures should be done on a case-by-case basis and determined by a risk analysis (Arthur et al. 2004; OIE, 2007; Arthur and Subasinghe, 2008).
Quarantine can improve governance by helping to protect national aquatic resources from transboundary aquatic animal diseases (TAADs). As quarantine of live aquatic animals can often be accomplished in the exporting country (preborder quarantine), this provides an additional level of protection, since if serious pathogens are detected or escapes of animals occur, they will not place the importing country at risk. Detailed guidance on quarantine can be found in theManual of Procedures for the Quarantine for Live Aquatic Animals (Arthur and Subasinghe, 2008).
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