Biosecurity materials for Nodavirus

Neglecting biosecurity may allow nodavirus and other diseases to:

• Get in to your hatchery
• Build up and persist in your hatchery
• Spread to other hatcheries / regions
• Cause serious losses

• Fish going off feed
• Fish behaving abnormally:
• Lethargic
• Not schooling as usual
• Spinning, spiralling or swirling
• Not reacting to exernal stimuli like bright lights, noise, hand movements
• Fish going darker or lighter than normal
• Fish dying for no apparent reason (i.e. you’ve checked water quality and it is NOT this) in large numbers over a short time

• Clear signposting of areas
• Physical separation of areas with restricted access

Maintain biosecurity – prevent the introduction of disease

• Quarantine new fish
• Restrict visitor access
• Don’t mix fish species
• Don’t mix batches
• Start with a clean slate for each area and each batch
  • Clean, disinfect and dry out between batches
• Rinse and disinfect eggs
• Only use live feeds (rotifers, copepods) of known quality
  • Grown in the hatchery for an extended period of time
• Be responsible for your own area - don’t go where you aren’t needed
  • If you MUST move between areas, DECONTAMINATE - footbaths and handwash
• Have dedicated equipment for each area
  • If you must move equipment, thoroughly CLEAN and DISINFECT it
• Remove sick fish as much as it is possible and practical
• Maintain good consistent water quality
• Minimise stress on fish AND staff
• Keep good records

Investigate problems quickly!

• When warning signs appear - tell your manager immediately
  • If you are the manager, tell your staff of the problem
• Make sure you know why the fish died - Get a diagnosis!
  • Take a sample of the fish and send to your veterinary diagnostic laboratory
  • Have your veterinarian investigate and take samples for laboratory analysis

Implement Disease Control by:

• Having a Standard Operational Protocol in place – act quickly and decisively.
  The SOP must:
  • Be easily accessible
  • Be understood by staff BEFORE a disease event
  • Include procedures to reduce stress on healthy remaining fish
  • Describe decontamination and disinfection protocols
  • Include up to date contact details of your vet and diagnostic laboratory
  • Be read and understood by staff
    BEFORE a disease event
• Seeking advice from your veterinarian on treatment and control
  
  • Maintain a sound active working relationship with your vet and diagnostic laboratory
• Getting in touch with your State/Territory health authority (which MUST be done if nodavirus confirmed) - Contact details

Neglecting biosecurity may allow diseases to:

• Get onto your farm; or
• Build up on your farm!
• Cause serious losses!
• Spread to other farms in the region

 
^{This image shows fish affected by disease.}

• Fish going off feed
• Fish behaving abnormally:
  • Lethargic
  • Not schooling as usual
  • Spiralling or swirling
  • Not reacting to exernal stimuli like bright lights, noise, hand movements
• Fish going darker or lighter than normal
• Fish dying for no apparent reason (i.e. you’ve checked water quality and it is NOT this) in large numbers over a short time
• Scales loss
• Ulcers
• Bleeding from the fins, gills, eyes
• Lumps on fish
• Swelling of eyes and/ or abdomen
• Pale or ragged gills

Establish biosecure areas for your fish

• Clear signposting of areas
• Physical separation of areas with restricted access

Maintain biosecurity – prevent the introduction of disease

• Quarantine new fish
• Restrict visitor access
• Don’t mix fish species
• Don’t mix batches
• Start with a clean slate for each area and each batch
  • Clean, disinfect and dry out between batches
• Rinse and disinfect eggs
• Be responsible for your own area - don’t go where you aren’t needed
  • If you MUST move between areas, DECONTAMINATE - footbaths and handwash
• Have dedicated equipment for each area
  
  • If you must move equipment, thoroughly CLEAN and DISINFECT it
• Remove sick fish as much as it is possible and practical
• Maintain good consistent water quality
• Minimise stress on fish AND staff
• Keep good records

Investigate problems quickly!

• When warning signs appear - tell your manager immediately
  • If you are the manager, tell your staff of the problem
• Make sure you know why the fish died – Get a diagnosis!
  
  • Take a sample of the fish and send to your veterinary diagnostic laboratory
  • Have your veterinarian investigate and take samples for laboratory analysis   

Implement Disease Control by:

• Having a Standard Operational Protocol in place – act quickly and decisively.
  The SOP must:
  • Be easily accessible
  • Be understood by staff BEFORE a disease event
  • Include procedures to reduce stress on healthy remaining fish
  • Describe decontamination and disinfection protocols
  • Include up to date contact details of your vet and diagnostic laboratory
  • Be read and understood by staff BEFORE a disease event
    
• Seeking advice from your veterinarian on treatment and control
  
  • Maintain a sound active working relationship with your vet and diagnostic laboratory
• Getting in touch with your State/Territory health authority (which MUST be done if nodavirus confirmed)
  
  • Contact details