Government
VHS Q&A document
September 10, 2008 08:42 PM
APHIS has published the
VHS Interim Rule in the Federal Register, and updated
the documents defining species and areas affected by
the Interim Rule.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/aquaculture/
We have also placed a Q&A document on the VHS Interim Rule under "In the News" on the APHIS web site:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/
There is a 60 day comment period on the rule; however the rule will go into effect on November 10, 2008 as currently written. We will take comments into consideration when we finalize the rule at a future date.
Thank you,
Gary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P. Gary Egrie, VMD
Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer, Aquaculture Program
United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
4700 River Road, Unit 46
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-0695 (Office)
(301) 734-4982 (Fax)
(240) 460-5986 (Cell)
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/aquaculture/
We have also placed a Q&A document on the VHS Interim Rule under "In the News" on the APHIS web site:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/
There is a 60 day comment period on the rule; however the rule will go into effect on November 10, 2008 as currently written. We will take comments into consideration when we finalize the rule at a future date.
Thank you,
Gary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P. Gary Egrie, VMD
Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer, Aquaculture Program
United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
4700 River Road, Unit 46
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-0695 (Office)
(301) 734-4982 (Fax)
(240) 460-5986 (Cell)
USDA-APHIS VHSv Education/Outreach activities
July 02, 2008 08:30 PM
First, I want to thank the Educational Alliance for its help and input on VHS outreach and education activities. We have received a number of excellent proposals and suggestions. At the outset, APHIS is going forward with two of them: A cooperative agreement with the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State to develop and host a VHS website, and with a grant to the Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell to provide insight on stakeholders in the Great Lakes Region.
The website which is expected to be complete by the end of December, will be an immediate resource for anyone interested in VHS, from the public to practitioners and academics. Amount: $55,000.
The research on insight into stakeholders in the Great Lakes region will identify the range of knowledge, awareness and concern about VHS among key stakeholder groups, identify sources of information used by them, learn about their willingness to respond to VHS and actual behavioral responses taken by them. This information will be vital to establish what is termed in advertising language as "foundational awareness." This information will eventually be used to inform the campaign's future messages and directions. Amount: $49,800.
With the remaining funds for this year, which will be allocated by September 30, we are planning to continue the advertising plan currently underway. Most of the advertising runs through July and August, and we will extend it for approximately six additional months. The advertising will take into account suggestions that have been provided. Once a media buyer has been awarded a contract and there is a new schedule, we will forward it to the alliance. Amount: $190,000
While Iowa State has provided a comprehensive proposal to develop print materials, educator and audio materials, prevention education mass media tools, youth program materials and promotional items, APHIS feels it is best to hold on to these items until we receive the results of Cornell's research which will give us a foundation upon which to direct the education and outreach campaign. APHIS intends to continue this effort in FY '09 and can build on ISU's ideas for collateral materials and we will evaluate the proposals and determine if some or all will need to be competitively bid.
Remaining FY '08 funds will be used to print additional wallet cards.
We are looking forward to working with all of you as we go forward with these activities.
Thank you,
Gary Egrie, Peter Merrill, Madelaine Fletcher, Heather Curlett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P. Gary Egrie, VMD
Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer, Aquaculture Program
United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
4700 River Road, Unit 46
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-0695 (Office)
(301) 734-4982 (Fax)
(240) 460-5986 (Cell)
Ohio Agriculture Director Extends Emergency Order Restricting Movement of Disease-Susceptible Fish
May 19, 2008 08:33 PM
"The Ohio Department of Agriculture is charged with the responsibility of protecting animals from potentially devastating diseases," Boggs said. "This emergency order not only protects Ohio's fish population but others in points beyond the state's borders."
VHS is a fish disease, which must be reported to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) under state law. VHS was introduced into the wild fish population by an invasive species. It is not harmful to humans or other animals. Read More...
Environmentalists sue in Mpls. over invasive fish virus
May 07, 2008 08:50 PM
05/01/08
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Several environmental groups are suing the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies to force them to do more to protect Lake Superior fish from a deadly invasive virus.
The Save Lake Superior Association, the Izaak Walton League of Duluth and Minnesota and Wisconsin chapters of Trout Unlimited filed their lawsuit in federal court in Minneapolis on Monday.
They're asking the court to force the federal agencies to enforce regulations to prevent the uptake and discharge of ballast water from infected areas. They say it will prevent the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, to Lake Superior.
The federal agencies aren't commenting on the pending litigation, although a Coast Guard official notes the areas of concern must be defined before the Coast Guard can act.
Vermont Baitfish Regulations - VHS
May 05, 2008 07:53 PM
takes into account many of the concerns of anglers and yet still helps protect Vermont fisheries from a deadly new fish virus called Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). Read More...