Shrimp Hatchery Biosecurity Guidelines

1. Shrimp HatcheryBiosecurity Guidelines Dr. Matthew Briggs Director

2. Biosecurity Planning Ultimate objective of biosecurity plan: To ensure that an epidemiological unit (i.e. your hatchery) is not diseased … and remains that way So aims are to: Prevent, control and possibly eradicate a disease within the hatchery Prevent introduction, prevent spread and increase resistance to a disease(s) and eradicate it if it occurs Hopefully to provide financial dividends Fulfill requirements for existing and emerging legal framework of national and inter- national trade requirements

3. Biosecurity Definitions Biosecurity has been defined as “…sets of practices that will reduce the probability of a pathogen introduction and its subsequent spread from one place to another…” (Lotz, 1997) An alternative definition is “…the measures and methods adopted to secure a disease-free environment in all production phases for improved quality…” Biosecurity protocols are intended to maintain the “security” of a facility with respect to certain disease-causing organisms that may not already be present in a particular system Biosecurity encompasses policy, regulatory, and program frameworks (including instruments and activities) in response to managing risks associated with diseases

4. Biosecurity Overview The basic elements of a biosecurity programme include the physical, chemical and biological methods necessary to protect the hatchery from the consequences of all diseases that represent a high risk Effective biosecurity requires attention to a range of factors, some disease specific, some not, ranging from purely technical factors to aspects of management and economics Various levels and strategies for biosecurity may be employed depending on the hatchery facility, the diseases of concern and the level of perceived risk The appropriate level of biosecurity to be applied will generally be a function of ease of implemen- tationand cost, relative to the impact of the disease on the production operations

5. Biosecurity Overview Responsible hatchery operation must also consider the potential risk of disease introduction into the natural environment, and its effects on neighbouring aquaculture operations and the natural fauna There are three components to practicing biosecurity in an aquaculture facility. These are: Prevention: Protection of the cultured/managed organisms from the harmful biological effects of undesirable organisms (especially pathogens) and the protection of humans and ecosystems from the adverse affects of the introduced culture system, and its targeted and non-targeted organisms; Control: Control of the culture system, the movement of organisms, risk related activities, and monitoring and recording of actions taken; and Contingency planning: Planning for all possible eventualities

6. Biosecurity Overview There are also two categories of biosecurity issues in shrimp hatcheries. These are: Internal: concerning the introduction and transfer of pathogens within the facility, and External: Concerning the introduction and transfer of pathogens from outside sources to the facility or vice versa Within aquaculture facilities, if diseases do occur, there are several options including: Treatment: Application of methods that reduce the effects of the diseases; Containment: Restriction of the diseases from spreading to other tanks/facilities; and Elimination: Elimination of the diseases from the vicinity

7. Biosecurity Overview Implementation of a biosecurity programme for a shrimp hatchery should include the following elements: Use of specific pathogen free (SPF), Specific pathogen resistant (SPR) or high health (HH) shrimp stocks (where possible); The use of quarantine areas for all incoming stock and disease screening of all incoming stock (i.e. through PCR or other immunodiagnostic technology); Treatment of all incoming water sources to eliminate pathogens; Sterilization and maintenance of clean equipment and materials; Personal hygiene measures including washing of hands and feet and clothing; Knowledge of the potential pathogenic diseases and the sources of risk and methods and techniques for their control and/or eradication; Maintenance of optimum environmental conditions within all phases of the facility; and Application of immune enhancers and probiotics in order to enhance the ability of the stock to resist or tolerate diseases

8. Biosecurity Overview Training in biosecurity maintenance should be an important component of the hatchery process. The biosecurity risk posed by each area of the hatchery should be determined Different areas of the hatchery may be classified according to the level of risk of disease introduction or transfer: 1. Quarantine areas where a pathogen of concern is potentially present or suspected; 2. High sensitivity areas requiring minimum exposure to avoid potential pathogen introduction or transfer; 3. Medium sensitivity areas with lower risk of pathogen introduction or transfer; and 4. Low sensitivity areas in which risks of pathogen introduction or transfer are unlikely These classifications can be modified if required and the changes reflected in an updated version of the SOPs Specific protocols and restrictions may be adopted for each of these biosecurity levels to prevent pathogen entry or transfer

9. Levels of Biosecurity Nucleus Breeding Center Multiplication Center Shrimp Hatchery Commercial Farm

10. Health-Disease Continuum HEALTHY STATE Health Exposure Infection Subclinical Disease Clinical Disease Culling/Death DISEASED STATE Isolation & quarantine Vaccination Treatment Treatment Treatment

11. Guiding Principles Engineering for Premium Health Status Health Assurance – Protection of Stocks Health Monitoring Program Contingency planning

12. Guiding Principle #1 Engineering for Premium Health Status “hatchery design with biosecurity in mind”

13. Site Selection Other shrimp farms (more than 10 km) Other Aquaculture (more than 5 km) Seafood market (3 km) Public highway (as far as possible) Oceanic water conditions Google Earth

14. “Zero” biosecurity • Clusters of hatcheries • Old monodon hatcheries • Shared water intake • No discharge treatment Backyard Hatcheries

16. “hatchery design with biosecurity in mind”

17. Biosecure Hatchery Design Divide hatchery into discreet small sized units Own staff for each area Division of each phase in culture cycle with flow of shrimp and people in one direction only Separate equipment (including pumps, blowers, pipes etc.) for each unit Batch stocking system (all in-all out) Routine disinfection of facilities after each cycle

19. Guiding Principle #2 Establish units of premium health status Health Assurance – Protection of Stocks from disease introduction

20. Shrimp Unit Inputs and Outputs Broodstock PL Spermatophores Air Water Waste Feed Unit Processes People Garbage Supplies Equipment Recycling Pests Brood Stock Commercial PL

21. Health Assurance Program Purpose – Implement formal program for biosecurity (reduce the risk of introducing new infections and to control and contain the spread of disease if present) HA Manual – a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Health Assurance manual HA Team – an independent team trained in Health Assurance and Health Monitoring protocol

22. Biosecurity Protocols: Key Points • Live Shrimp - importation of breeding stock (genes) • Water - intake (source), filtration, treatment • Feeds - fresh-frozen feed sources • Transport – vehicles, transport • People - personnel & visitors

23. Introduction of healthy stock Only buy from certified SPF broodstock suppliers If produce on stocks – ensure they are disease-free by routine testing Pass all introduced broodstock through quarantine systems before introduction to maturation unit Test for all known diseases, not only those required by law ! (PCR and histology) If possible do co-habitation with local stocks to ensure cryptic diseases not transferred

24. BroodstockScreening and Quarantine • Biosecure location • Health monitoring program • Certified feeds • Water sterilization • Quarantine period – 15 days Disease Screening for Importing and Exporting Shrimp

25. Production of own stocks Indoor Raceway Flock “brown water” System Water Recirculation System Well water

26. Water Intake and Treatment • Multiple intake lines • Naturally filtered through sand • Mechanical filtration (sand and bag filters) • Disinfection (Chlorine, iodine, ozone, UV etc) • Checking (result)

27. Good water filtration system

28. Health Status of Feeds • Maturation diets (from disease free areas) • Artemiabiomass (from California/Australia) • Squid imported from California • Bloodworm imported or cultured • Commercial maturation diets (dry) • Log book • PCR testing of fresh feeds • Disinfection of fresh feeds

29. Feed Quality Ensure feed is within sell-by date Buy only from reputable companies with government-certified products Add immunostimulants to feeds to help shrimp fight disease Add supporting vitamins/minerals where necessary Do not overfeed as will reduce water quality, but do feed little and often Monitor feeding status of shrimp frequently and make records of feeds and health

30. Feed Storage • Store at cool temperatures • Use new bags • Bags should never go in production area • Feed truck should not enter production area • Ensure feed cannot be contaminated by pest animals which could be disease vectors

31. Transport and Shipping • Vectors of diseases • Delivery trucks enter shrimp farms • Transport vehicles park outside of the hatchery • Visitors outside of production area

34. Vehicle Disinfection (owned trucks) • Between each delivery • One day drying time • Truck kept in designated parking area • Pressure wash

35. Personnel Security • Sign in book for workers and visitors • Last contact with shrimp? • No children & no pets in the unit

36. Disinfection of Equipment, Hands and Feet Diseases which can affect one tank of larvae can be easily spread to other tanks through contamination of hands or equipment, if they are used for more than one tank Therefore all equipment should be maintained separate, with one set for each tank Wash bottles containing 100 ppm iodine solution should be strategically placed for hand disinfection between visits to different tanks Separate colourcoding can be used for utensils for each section in the hatchery

37. Disinfection of Equipment, Hands and Feet A 5-20 litre bucket containing a solution of 100ppm PVP povidone iodine should be hung above or placed on the side of each larval rearing or broodstock tank and a 0.5-1 litre glass beaker or glass (for checking larval health and feeding) kept in each bucket to maintain sterility The iodine solution should be changed daily for a new solution Each tank should also have its own mesh nets as required for catching and/or checking larval or broodstock shrimp quality This equipment should be reserved for use in that one tank only

38. Equipment Disinfection

39. Disinfection of Equipment, Hands and Feet At the end of each cycle, all equipment and other material used in the room (filters, hoses, beakers, water and air lines etc.) can be placed in a tank containing 20-30 ppm hypochlorite solution after first cleaning with a 10% HCl solution and left there for 48 hours, then removed, washed and stored until required The entrance to each section of the hatchery (each larval rearing, broodstock, algae, Artemia and/or water treatment unit) should have shallow bowls or trays (footbaths) placed there and filled with solutions of either 200 ppm povidone PVP iodine, 50-100 ppm chlorine or 500ppm potassium permanganate to disinfect the feet/boots of each person entering the facilities

40. Disinfection of Equipment, Hands and Feet Wash bottles containing 100ppm povidone PVP iodine solution and/or 70% alcohol should always be placed at the entrance to each culture facility in the hatchery so that hands can be disinfected before entering each separate facility If possible, personnel should change from their street clothes, shower and change into appropriate clothing each time they enter the facility So have colour-coded clothes for use only in their respective areas

41. Personnel Disinfection

42. Personnel disinfection

43. Secure Perimeter Fence • Perimeter wall away from production units • Interior fence separating NBC • Guard service • “Keep out” signs

44. Signs

45. Downtime For personnel Between Entering Various Facilities

46. Food for Human Consumption • No shellfish or crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster, etc) • Inspect food brought in from outside the facility

47. Dead Shrimp and Waste Feed • Garbage delivered to approved dump site • Accordance with local regulations • Infected shrimp incinerated

48. Pest, Bird, Crustacean, Insect Control • Covered culture area • Feed spillage minimized • Proper disposal of waste • BAP, GAP, ACC guidelines

49. Water Discharge • Treat and filter • Avoid spread of contamination • BAP, GAP, ACC guidelines • Discharge ponds not recommended

50. Guiding Principle #3 1. Establish units of premium health status 2. Protect units from disease introduction 3. Monitor health and protection of health