Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 158 - Natural Resources Department
Chapter 6287 - QUARANTINE FACILITIES FOR FISH EGGS
Part 6287.0400 - CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS OF QUARANTINE FACILITY

Subpart 1. Siting.

A quarantine facility must be outside of the 100-year floodplain and be physically separated from other fish raising facilities in the same watershed by not less than five miles, except that the commissioner may permit a quarantine facility to be within five miles of other fish raising facilities if there is minimal risk of transferring disease to the other facilities. Criteria used by the commissioner to determine the risk will include: flow rate of the water which would receive the quarantine facility effluent; construction, water source, and siting of potentially affected fish culture facilities; and disease susceptibility of the species being raised by potentially affected fish culture facilities. Siting is prohibited if effluent from the facility will be discharged into designated trout waters or other waters containing or managed for salmonids.

Subp. 2. Water supply.

The water supply must be from a spring or well groundwater source, free of fish and fish pathogens, and covered. Water supply systems must be constructed to prevent transmission of pathogens among quarantine units.

Subp. 3. Egg receiving area.

Each facility must have an egg receiving area isolated from quarantine units with respect to equipment, supplies, and clothing.

Subp. 4. Quarantine facility size.

Each facility must be designed to consist of no more than six quarantine units and an egg receiving area.

Subp. 5. Quarantine units.

Quarantine units must be isolated with respect to fish tanks, equipment, supplies, feed, water supply lines, drainage lines, and laboratory clothing. The capacity of each unit must not exceed 100,000 eggs.

Subp. 6. On-site laboratory space.

There must be a minimum of 16 square feet in at least eight linear feet of counter space within each quarantine unit for pathological examination of fish. Each work area must include a sink, running water, adequate lighting, and electrical outlets.

Subp. 7. Disinfection stations.

Each quarantine unit and egg receiving area must have separate disinfection stations. This station must include disinfectant supplies, hand washes, foot baths (preferably sunken), an emergency shower, and a locker room where clothes can be changed, stored, and disinfected.

Subp. 8. Effluent treatment.

Effluent water from all quarantine units and egg receiving areas must enter a common collector. The collector must incorporate a primary disinfectant-sterilization system and an automatic backup system to disinfect all pathogens. All pipes into and out of the collector must be designed to prevent backflow.

Subp. 9. Backup systems.

Every quarantine facility must have installed backups for all systems vital to maintaining the aquatic environment within the facility. A backup generator sized to handle all necessary electrical equipment must be installed to automatically activate during power failures. Each quarantine unit must be monitored with a flow alarm.

Subp. 10. Contingency plan.

A contingency plan for disease control and accidental escapement must be submitted to and approved by the commissioner prior to the operation of a quarantine facility. The plan must contain maps of the watershed in which the facility is located, locations where sentinel fish will be confined, identification of sufficient personnel to execute the plan, source of chlorine supply for disinfectant procedures, length and flow rates of feeder streams and main branches, and identification of financial resources to mitigate damage that may occur from the accidental release of fish or fish pathogens.

Subp. 11. Security.

Minimum security measures must include locking devices on all building entrances and facility gates, and fencing around unenclosed components of the facility.