N A S C O NORTH AMERICAN COMMISSION PROTOCOLS FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND TRANSFER OF SALMONIDS by NAC/NASCO Scientific Working Group on Salmonid Introductions and Transfers Edited by T. Rex Porter Canadian Co-chairman Department of Fisheries and Oceans P O Box 5667 St John's, NF A1C 5X1 NAC(92)24 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 PART I SUMMARY OF PROTOCOLS BY ZONE .............................................. 3 1 ZONING OF RIVER SYSTEMS ......................................................................... 5 2 DESCRIPTION OF ZONES ................................................................................. 5 3 PROTOCOLS ......................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Protocols applicable to all three Zones ..................................................... 6 3.2 Protocols applicable to Zone I ................................................................... 7 3.2.1 General within Zone I ................................................................................... 7 3.2.2 Rehabilitation ................................................................................................ 7 3.2.3 Establishment or re-establishment of Atlantic salmon in a river or part of a watershed where there are no salmon ........................................ 7 3.2.4 Aquaculture ................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Protocols applicable to Zone II .................................................................. 8 3.3.1 General within Zone II .................................................................................. 8 3.3.2 Rehabilitation ................................................................................................ 8 3.3.3 Establishment or re-establishment of Atlantic salmon in a river or part of a watershed where there are no salmon ........................................ 9 3.3.4 Aquaculture ................................................................................................... 9 3.4 Protocols applicable to Zone III ................................................................ 10 3.4.1 General within Zone III ................................................................................ 10 3.4.2 Rehabilitation ................................................................................................ 10 3.4.3 Establishment or re-establishment of Atlantic salmon in a river or part of a watershed where there are no salmon ........................................ 10 3.4.4 Aquaculture ................................................................................................... 10 4 GUIDELINES FOR APPROVAL OF INTRODUCTIONS AND TRANSFERS ........................................................................................................... 11 4.1 Responsibility of proponent ....................................................................... 11 4.2 Responsibility of government agencies having the authority to issue permits ................................................................................................ 11 4.3 Responsibilities of the NAC Scientific Working Group on Salmonid Introductions and Transfers ..................................................... 12 4.4 Preparation of proposals ............................................................................ 12 4.5 Evaluation of proposals .............................................................................. 13 5 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................. 14 ii PART II PROTOCOLS ON SALMONID FISH HEALTH ................................... 19 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 21 2 DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................ 21 3 BASIC OBLIGATIONS ......................................................................................... 22 4 APPLICATION ....................................................................................................... 22 5 TRAFFIC IN FISH ................................................................................................. 22 5.1 Fish transfer in areas not enzootic for infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) ............................................................................................. 23 5.1.1 Fish culture facilities including movements to cage culture facilities ......................................................................................................... 23 5.1.2 Movements from cage culture facilities ........................................................ 23 5.1.3 Free-ranging fish .......................................................................................... 24 5.2 Transfer of fish from areas enzootic for infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) is prohibited ....................................................................... 25 5.3 Direct transfer of eyed eggs from areas outside North America and not enzootic for infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHN) ...... 26 6 FISH HEALTH INSPECTION REPORTS ......................................................... 26 7 FISH HEALTH INSPECTORS ............................................................................. 27 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................... 27 ANNEX I Fish health inspection report ......................................................................... 29 ANNEX II Exporter's declaration ................................................................................... 31 ANNEX III List of disease agents covered by protocols .................................................. 33 ANNEX IV Methods of diagnosis .................................................................................... 35 ANNEX V Guidelines for the control and management of disease agents ..................... 37 ANNEX VI Fish cultural facility disease status ............................................................... 39 ANNEX VII Egg disinfection ............................................................................................ 41 ANNEX VIII Emergency eradication plan .......................................................................... 43 ANNEX IX Quarantine facilities ...................................................................................... 49 PART III PROTOCOLS FOR MAINTENANCE OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN ATLANTIC SALMON ......................................................................... 51 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 53 2 PROTOCOLS ......................................................................................................... 53 2.1 Inter-continental transfers ......................................................................... 53 2.2 Intra-continental transfers ......................................................................... 54 2.2.1 Introduction and re-establishment ................................................................ 54 iii 2.2.2 Rehabilitation and enhancement ................................................................... 54 2.2.3 Cage culture - marine enclosure ................................................................... 55 2.2.4 Hatchery management .................................................................................. 56 2.3 Fishery harvest ............................................................................................ 57 3 RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... 57 3.1 Stock identification and inventory ............................................................ 57 3.2 Assessment of enhancement and rehabilitation practices ....................... 57 3.3 Aquaculture practices and effects ............................................................. 58 3.4 Fishery harvest effects ................................................................................ 59 4 CONCLUDING REMARKS ................................................................................. 59 PART IV PROTOCOLS TO REDUCE RISK OF ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS .... 61 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 63 2 IMPACTS OF INTRODUCTIONS AND TRANSFERS .................................... 63 2.1 Intra-specific effects .................................................................................... 63 2.1.1 Predation ....................................................................................................... 63 2.1.2 Competition................................................................................................... 63 2.2 Inter-specific effects .................................................................................... 64 2.2.1 Predation ....................................................................................................... 64 2.2.2 Competition................................................................................................... 65 2.2.3 Other effects .................................................................................................. 66 3 SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS