An Aquatic Animal Health Technical Committee (AAHTC) shall be
established jointly by the Commissioners of the Departments of Inland Fisheries
and Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources to provide advice to
maintain optimum health among Maine's aquatic resources and to safeguard wild
and cultured organisms from the introduction or dissemination of infectious
organisms.
1.
Composition and
Selection
The composition and selection of the Aquatic Animal Health
Technical Committee shall reflect the interdisciplinary expertise required to
address aquatic animal health issues. All members of the Aquatic Animal Health
Technical Committee shall be qualified fish health inspectors or qualified
professionals in the aquatic animal health field.
A. There shall be a total of three members
representing the public resource agencies; the Maine Department of Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Department of Marine Resources and the Maine
Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry.
B. There shall be one member representing the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
C. There shall be one member representing the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - National Marine Fisheries
Service (NOAA Fisheries).
D. There
shall be one member representing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service.
E.
There shall be two members at large of which at least one shall be from
academia.
F. There shall be two
additional members with experience in commercial finfish culture.
G. There shall be two additional members with
experience in commercial shellfish culture.
H. The chair shall be elected by a majority
vote of the Aquatic Animal Health Technical Committee.
2.
Responsibilities
A. Responsibilities of the Aquatic Animal
Health Technical Committee shall be to provide technical advice to the
Commissioners in the following areas:
(1)
Procedures for disease and pathogen surveillance and health monitoring among
aquatic animal resources.
(2)
Diagnostic protocols and standards.
(3) Criteria for biosecurity, quarantine,
animal destruction and facility clean up.
(4) Control of a disease outbreak.
(5) Following annual review and analysis of
epidemiological data provide recommendations to the Commissioners regarding the
classification and testing requirements for Pathogens of Regulatory
Concern.
B. The Aquatic
Animal Health Technical Committee shall also:
(1) Review and make recommendations to the
Commissioners on pathogen surveillance and the health status of aquatic animal
resources.
(2) Actively pursue the
development of research programs for addressing the aquatic animal health
issues facing the State's resources.
(3) Serve as a technical resource for
aquaculture facility managers to improve management and husbandry
practices.
