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    Apply for Aquaculture Verification Certificate

    The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture licenses parties that breed and sell water-dwelling species. This includes all game fish, fish bait, baitfish, amphibians, reptiles and aquatic organisms. This yearly certificate is required for all artificial propagators and dealers of fish species.

    Learn more

    Overview

    This certificate is for artificial propagators and dealers of fish species located within the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Quarantined Counties in Pennsylvania, and also the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin to ship VHS-susceptible fish species into the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

    This certification must be completed every year. 

    How to apply

    If you are an artificial propagator or dealer of fish species, you need an aquaculture verification certificate. This certificate is good for one year, and requires an official tester to come to your facility and complete the test. 

    Information about Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia

    The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture works to stop the spread of disease among the aquatic population. 

    Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) is a contagious disease in freshwater and saltwater fish. It causes internal bleeding and death in some. Humans are not at risk, but the virus infects 28 fish species.

    Symptoms vary. Some fish show no signs. Others have bulging eyes, bloated bellies, and act strangely. They may also bleed from their eyes, skin, gills, or fins. Infected fish might have sores similar to other diseases. Testing is crucial.

    VHS has appeared in the Great Lakes and their rivers, leading to many fish deaths. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) marks it as a reportable disease.

    In the past, VHS mainly affected trout and some European fish farmed for food. But, a new outbreak in the Great Lakes reveals a different strain. This strain is killing off many freshwater fish. Below is a list of fish species vulnerable to VHS.

    It's unclear how VHS entered and for how long it's been in the Great Lakes. The disease spreads quickly among fish of all ages. Mortality peaks between 37 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Testing is essential to check for infection. The Animal Diagnostic Laboratory at Penn State University can do fish necropsies. It can also do tests.

    To prevent the spread of VHS, sport fishermen and boaters should follow strict bio-security guidelines. They must clean their gear, boats, and trailers before moving to another water body. Also, they should avoid transferring fish between waters.

    VHS has not been found in aquaculture facilities. But, those who move VHS-susceptible species, no matter where they come from, should take these steps to protect their facilities:

    Get a health certificate. It must confirm that the fish have been tested and are free of VHS. Do this before any movement.

    Add the right bio-security measures in the facility. This will stop the spread of VHS and other germs. Elements of a bio-security plan may include:

    • Thorough cleaning and disinfection practices
    • Control of movements of people, animals, vehicles, and equipment
    • Isolation of new and returning (e.g., brood stock) fish
    • Regulation of effluent discharges
    • We regularly audit the plan. We do this to check how well it is working.

    For this order, "VHS-susceptible species" means live animals of the following fish species. It also includes any other species called "VHS-susceptible species" by order of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission or USDA-APHIS after this order starts.

    • Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
    • Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
    • Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus
    • Brown bullhead Amieurus nebulosus
    • Brown trout Salmo trutta
    • Burbot Lota lota
    • Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus
    • Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
    • Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides
    • Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens
    • Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum
    • Lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis
    • Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides
    • Muskellunge Esox masquinongy
    • Shorthead redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum
    • Northern Pike Esox lucius
    • Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
    • Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
    • Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris
    • Round goby Neogobius melanostomus
    • Silver redhorse Moxostoma anisurum
    • Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu
    • Spottail shiner Notropis hudsonius
    • Trout-Perch Percopsis omiscomaycus
    • Walleye Sander vitreus
    • White bass Morone chrysops
    • White perch Morone americana
    • Yellow perch Perca flavescens

    VHS has never been found in US farmed fish. In North America, it affects only wild fish. In 2007 and 2008, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture issued Quarantine Orders. These aimed to prevent VHS from spreading to fish farms. The orders covered eight states. They are:

    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Wisconsin

    According to a quarantine order from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, fish from Great Lakes states that can get VHS can't enter Pennsylvania without proof of negative VHS tests. Many states have also set extra testing rules. So, check with the destination state for all the specific import requirements.

    The Pennsylvania Quarantine Order affects places in Erie, Crawford, and Potter counties. It includes spots that flow into Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. If you're a fish dealer or breeder in these areas, you need to test your fish for VHS every year. You need to do this before you can sell or take your fish from the quarantine zone to other spots in Pennsylvania. Plus, you need a special aquaculture inspection certificate. You need it to move fish out of those quarantine zones.

    If you suspect VHS, you should immediately report all findings to:

    Contact us

    If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Theiss by email or by phone: 717-307-3258