Utah Administrative Code
Topic - Agriculture and Food
Title R58 - Animal Industry
Rule R58-17 - Aquaculture and Aquatic Animal Health
Section R58-17-7 - Timely Reporting of Aquatic Animal Pathogens and Emergency Response Procedures
Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024
(1) Persons involved in aquaculture, fee fishing, public aquaculture or engaged in activities permitted by Rule R58-27, R657-3, R657-53, or R657-59, shall report having knowledge of the existence of any of the diseases in the Aquatic Animal Health Inspection Policy, to the department, or the division pursuant to Subsection 4-37-503(2)(b).
(2) A presumptive pathogen finding of a prohibited, restricted, or reportable pathogen as listed in Aquatic Animal Health Inspection Policy shall be reported to either the department or the division, whichever is the responsible agency according to the location where evidence of a pathogen was found. These agencies will report the presumptive evidence to each other. "Presumptive evidence" is when laboratory testing has demonstrated preliminary evidence of a pathogen, but the presence or identity of the pathogen has not yet been confirmed by other required procedures.
(3) Any records documenting the reporting or investigation of presumptive evidence of a prohibited, restricted, or reportable pathogen in a public or private aquatic animal population are classified as protected records under Section 63-2-304. The records shall retain the protected classification until the pathogen is confirmed and they will be classified as public records under Section 63-2-301.
(4) A confirmed finding is when the presumptive evidence for a pathogen has been validated by required procedures in the Aquatic Animal Health Inspection Policy. A confirmed finding of a prohibited, restricted, or reportable pathogen from any source shall be immediately reported to the State Veterinarian and the Director of the division. The agency that governs the facility will report the finding to the Chair of the Board in writing within five calendar days and provide a report to the Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The written report shall contain the following information:
(5) The department and the division will each maintain a standing emergency response team headed by a fish specialist or pathologist.
(6) The standing emergency response team from the agency in charge will initiate further testing procedures and will manage and monitor the episode until the pathogen has been confirmed or negated. Emergency response teams are responsible for developing and executing action plans to respond to presumptive or confirmed findings of prohibited or restricted pathogens. They will develop plans and initiate actions to:
(7) If a confirmatory test negates the presence of a prohibited or restricted pathogen, the emergency response team will be dissolved, any team initiated actions terminated, and any quarantine released upon agency receipt of the confirmatory test report.
(8) In the event of a confirmed finding of prohibited or restricted pathogens: