UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
  
 
MINISTERIAL REGULATION  
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THAI AGRICULTURAL STANDARD ON   
GOOD AQUACULTURE PRACTICES FOR  HATCHERY OF DISEASE FREE 
PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) 
AS A MANDATORY STANDARD  
B.E. 2559 (2016) 
 
By virtue of Section 5 paragraph one and Section 15 paragraph t wo of the 
Agricultural Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008), the Minister of A griculture and Cooperatives 
hereby issues this Ministerial Regulation as follows: 
Section 1 This Ministerial Regulation shall come into force aft er two hundred 
and seventy days as from the date of its publication in the Roy al Gazette.  
Section 2 The Thai Agricultural Standard TAS 7432-2015 in accor dance with 
the Notification of the Ministr y of Agriculture and Cooperative s on the Establishment of Thai 
Agricultural Standard : Good Aquaculture Practices for Hatchery  of Disease Free Pacific White 
Shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) under the Agricultural Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008) dated 
on 21 September B.E. 2558 (2015) shall be established as a mand atory standard. 
     
           Given on the 5
th  September B.E. 2559 (2016) 
 
                   (General Chatchai Sarikalya) 
                                 Minister of Agr iculture and Co operatives 
         
 
Remark :  Rationale for the promulgation of this Ministerial Regulation is that : Culture of the 
Pacific white shrimp in Thailand has confronted with the proble m on diseases, in particular, 
the acute heptatopancreatic necrosis disease  (AHPND) in the la rval and postlarval  Pacific 
White Shrimp. This causes loss to farmers. Thereof  a control  of  Litopenaeus vannamei  
nauplius production is required in order to prevent disease tra nsmitted from bloodstock to the 
nauplii and control the spread of disease throughout aquacultur e  area, by establishing 
requirements on good aquaculture practices for Litopenaeus vannamei  nauplius production. 
The Notification of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative s on the Establishment of Thai 
Agricultural Standard on  Good Aquaculture Practices for Hatche ry of Disease Free Pacific 
White Shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) has been established under the Agricultural standard 
Act. B.E. 2551 (2008), dated 3rd November 2557 (2014), followed by public hearing from 
stakeholders in accordance with Section 18 of the Agricultural standard Act B.E. 2551 (2008).  
It is deemed necessary to establish the Thai Agricultural Stand ard:  Good Aquaculture Practices 
for Hatchery of Disease Free Pacific White Shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) as a mandatory 
standard.  
 
 TAS  7432-2015  
THAI AGRICULTURAL STANDARD 
GOOD AQUACULTURE PRACTICES FOR HATCHERY OF DISEASE FREE 
PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) 
1. SCOPE 
1.1 This Thai Agricultural Standard covers hatchery producing Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus 
vannamei  nauplii. 
1.2 This Thai Agricultural Standard establishes requirements on good aquaculture practices for 
Litopenaeus vannamei  nauplius production, covering from broodstock receiving  up until shrimp 
nauplii ready to be moved from the hatching pond or other hatching containers, in order to obtain 
Litopenaeus vannamei  nauplii free from target diseases.  
2. DEFINITIONS 
For the purpose of this standard: 
2.1 Pacific white shrimp means a marine shrimp of the scientific name of Litopenaeus vannamei 
or any recognised synonyms. 
2.2 Pacific white shrimp at nauplius stage means shrimp larvae after hatching and before 
entering into zoeal stage.   
2.3  Pacific white shrimp broodstock means sexually mature shrimp that are collected, reared, or 
imported for breeding purposes.  
2.4 Disease free Pacific white shrimp means Pacific white shrimp broodstock and nauplii that 
are free of the diseases listed in Annex A. 
2.5 Pacific white shrimp hatchery means premises specifically used to produce Pacific white 
shrimp nauplii such as a production office, water pumping station, water preparation ponds, 
water storage facility, air blower station, quaran tine area, natural feed culturing area, broodstock 
house, nauplius production house, packing area, and effluent water treatment system. 
2.6 Natural feed means live animals or plants, includ ing animal parts or plant parts that have not 
been processed and can be used to feed Pacific white shrimp broodstock. 
2.7 Formulated feed means instant pre-mixed aquatic animal feed as defined under the Animal 
Feed Quality Control Act B.E.2525 (1982) and its amendments.  TAS 7432-2015  2  
 
3. REQUIREMENTS  
Pacific white shrimp hatchery shall follow the requirements as specified in Table 1.  
Table 1 Requirements 
Items Requirements  
1. Production 
principles  1.1 Availability of Standard Operating Procedures of hatchery to control 
target diseases. Standard Operating Procedures shall be implemented 
accordingly.  
1.2 Targeted surveillance of the Department of Fishery shall be 
participated.   
1.3 Availability of surveillance report showing that the hatchery is free of 
the target diseases for at least six consecutive months, except for a newly 
operating hatchery. However, such hatchery shall obtain inspection report 
showing the absence of target diseases.   
2. Personnel 2.1 The operators in nauplius hatchery shall obtain knowledge, training 
and/or experience in Pacific white shrimp  hatchery operations. 
2.2 Control measures for personnel and visitors that may be the carrier of 
target diseases into the hatchery shall be in place.  
3.  Selection of 
disease free Pacific white shrimp 
broodstock 3.1 Select target disease free Pacific white shrimp broodstock. Their source 
shall be traceable. 
3.2 Availability of effective quaran tine system for Pacific white shrimp 
broodstock.  
4. General 
management 4.1 Availability of an operating manual for Pacific white shrimp hatchery. 
Operating manual shall be implemented accordingly.  
4.2 Closed housing operation shall be applied to Pacific white shrimp 
broodstock, nauplius production and disease quarantine areas. 
4.3 Tools, equipment and systems used for each house shall be clearly 
separated and properly disinfected according to the technical methods 
before and after the use of each batch of broodstock.  
4.4 Water used in the hatchery shall be of suitable quality or properly 
adjusted to the suitable quality for Pacific white shrimp nauplius 
production. Prevention of disease carriers from the  water shall be 
implemented.  Disinfection of water used in hatching and transporting shall be in accordance with technical methods.  
4.5 Vehicle shall be disinfected at the hatchery entry and exit.  
4.6 Pest shall be controlled and prevented from the production areas of the 
hatchery. 3  TAS 7432-2015  
 
 
Items Requirements  
4.7 No pet is allowed in the production areas of the hatchery.  
4 .8  Rubbish and waste shall be collected and discarded hygienically to 
prevent cross contamination.  
4.9 Waste from bathroom and toilet shall be discarded hygienically.  The 
contamination of such waste to the water system shall be prevented.  
5. Feed 
management for 
Pacific white 
shrimp broodstock  5 . 1  Registered formulated feed in accordance with the Animal Feed 
Quality Control Act B.E.2525 (1982) and its amendments which is not 
deteriorated shall be used. Nevertheless, on farm and/or natural feed 
hygienically prepared and stored may be used.  Inspection report for such on farm and/or natural feed indicating the absence of target diseases or risk 
mitigation method of target diseases shall be available.  
5 . 2  Feed shall be kept in a secure place that is able to prevent 
contamination and keep the quality of the feed.  
6. Pacific white 
shrimp health 
management 6 .1  Measures shall be in place to prevent and control disease spreading 
within hatchery and from hatchery to outside.   
6.2 Inspection report of shrimp random sampling indicating the absence of 
the target diseases shall be available. The broodstock shall be free of the diseases listed in Sections A.1 - A.6, Annex A. Shrimp nauplii shall be free 
of the disease described in Section A.6, Annex A.  
6.3 In case abnormal mortality is found and target diseases are suspected, 
disease transmission shall be controlled and relevant competent authority 
shall be immediately informed.    
7. Records 7.1 Record the production process and keep for at least three years. 
 
 
  TAS 7432-2015  4  
 
ANNEX A  
TARGET DISEASES 
The target diseases are as follows:  
A.1 White spot disease is a disease occurs in marine shrimp caused by White Spot Syndrome 
Virus (WSSV). The infected shrimp s usually have white spots or rings under the exoskeleton on 
the carapace (cephalothorax), abdomen (body) and base of the tail. Occasionally, red to pinkish discoloration may also appear on the abdomen. The disease can cause rapid mortality in cultured 
shrimp.   
A.2 Yellow head disease is a disease occurs in marine shrimp caused by Yellow Head Virus 
(YHV). The infected shrimps usually have yellow ish coloration of the cephalothorax due to the 
discoloration of gill and hepatopancrease to pale  and yellow colour. The disease can cause rapid 
mortality in cultured shrimp.   
A.3 Taura Syndrome (TS) is a disease occurs in marine shrimp caused by Taura Syndrome Virus 
(TSV). The disease is often found in Pacific white shrimp . The clinical signs are usually dark red 
markings, especially on the tail and appendages. Sometimes, the disease may cause death. In case infected shrimps survive, advanced stage occurs with the black markings of ambiguous shape presented on the shell. 
A.4 Infectious Hypodermal and Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus disease (IHHNV) is a disease 
occurs in marine shrimp caused by parvovirus so called Infectious Hypodermal and 
Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV).  The infect ed shrimps usually have irregular and slow 
growth, cuticular deformities, bended rostrum, and fragile, misshape antennae. Mortality rate is 
low. Non-uniformity of shrimp size is commonly found in the affected crop.  
A.5 Infectious Myonecrosis (IMN) is a disease occurs in marine shrimp caused by Infectious 
Myonecrosis Virus (IMNV). The clinical signs of in fected shrimp are white discoloration of the 
muscle at the last abdominal segment which may spread to the other segments. Necrosis of 
muscle cells occurs and orange discoloration of the muscle like boiled shrimp may appear. 
A.6 Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) or Acute He patopancreatic Necrosis  Disease (AHPND) is 
a disease occurs in marine shrimp caused by the infection of virulent strain of Vibrio 
parahaemolyticus. The infected shrimps usually show signs of hepatopancrease shrinkage and 
reduction of fat droplets within the hepatopancrease.