The European Commission has published in the OJEU of March 7th 2009, its Decision of October 31st 2009 (2009/177/EC), implementing Council Directive 2006/88/EC as regards surveillance and eradication programmes and disease-free status of Member States, zones and compartments. This decision lays down certain requirements for the application and information about the control measures for aquatic animal diseases.

Directive 2006/88/EC lays down minimum preventive measures aimed at increasing the awareness and preparedness of the competent authorities, aquaculture production business operators and others related to this industry, for diseases in aquaculture animals, and minimum control measures to be applied in the event of a suspicion of, or an outbreak of certain diseases in aquatic animals.

It repeals and replaces, from August 1st 2008, Council Directive 91/67/EEC of January 28th  1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products.

Conditions for the establishment of prevention and eradication measures for aquatic animals diseases

In its Decision, the European Commission sets out the measures and implementation of this Directive. According to it, surveillance programmes will only be submitted for approval, if they cover:

• The whole territory of a Member State.
• Compartments or groups thereof, comprising more than 75 % of the coastal area of the Member State concerned as regards diseases which only affect salt water species.
• Zones and compartments, or groups thereof, comprising more than 75 % of the continental area of the Member State concerned as regards diseases which only affect fresh
• water species.
• Zones and compartments, or groups thereof, comprising more than 75 % of the continental area and coastal area of the Member State concerned as regards diseases which affect both fresh water and salt water species.
• Zones and compartments, which consist of water catchment areas shared with another Member State or third country.

For the purpose of this measures, a compartment or group of compartments of a coastal area shall be considered to cover more than 75 % of the coastal area of a Member State when it covers more than 75 % of the coastline, measured along the baseline of the coast.

Furthermore, this Decision also establishes the lists of Member States, zones and compartments subject to approved surveillance programmes authorized in accordance with those conditions, as well as those subject to an eradication program, and Member States declared “disease-free”.  The Decision also establishes a set of standard application forms to obtain such declarations. Moreover, under this legislation, Member States must submit by April 30 of each year a report on the monitoring programs and authorized eradication, as well as eradication programs not receiving funding.

Member States should also create and update web pages of information including:

• Declarations of surveillance programmes submitted to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, in accordance with Directive 2006/88/EC, accessible to the Commission and the other Member States.
• Declarations of disease-free status submitted to the Committee, accessible to the Commission and the other Member States.
• Publicly available the list of zones or compartments declared subject to an approved surveillance programme or disease-free.

According to the Commission Decision, which applies from November 1st 2008, Decisions 2002/300/EC and 2002/308/EC are repealed with effect from August 1st 2009.