DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDUS DARS  1133  
First Edition 
2023-m m-dd
Reference number  
DUS DARS  1133 : 2023 
© UNBS 2023  Transport of live fish seeds for inland pisciculture purposes — Code of 
practice  DUS DARS  1133 : 2023  
ii                © UNBS  2023  - All rights reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2023 
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
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 DUS DARS 1133 : 2023  
© UNBS  2023  - All rights reserved                 iii National foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda, as amended.  UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enqui ry Point on TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of ke y stakeholders 
including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee  reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
This Draft Uganda Standard, DUS DARS  1133 :2023 , Transport of live fish seeds for inland pisciculture 
purposes — Code of practice , is identical with and has been reproduced from a  Draft  African  Standard,  DARS 
1133 :2023 , Transport of live fish seeds for inland pisciculture purposes — Code of practice , and is being 
proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
The committee responsible for this document is Te chnical Committee UNBS/ TC 211, Fish and fishery 
products . 
Wherever the words, “ African  Standard " appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standa rd." AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1133 
First Edition 2023 
 
 Reference No. DARS 1133:2023(E) 
ICS 65.150 
 
 
© ARSO 20 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Transport of live fish seeds for inland pisciculture purposes — Code 
of practice  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS 1133:2023 
ii © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 1 
4 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
5 Packing requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
6 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
 
  DARS 1 133:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  iii Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities. The 
work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economi c Communities 
(RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also take part in the 
work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committ ees is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards adopted 
by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an ARSO  
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by ARSO/TC 03, Fish,  fisheries and aquaculture . 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2023 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
                                                 
* 2023 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  DARS 1133:2023 
iv © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior permission 
from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or 
transmitted in any form for any ot her purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 20 23 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators  may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
  DARS 1 133:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  v Introduction  
 
The transport of live fish seeds of inland species is an important part of pisciculture. Since the stocking 
of inland water with seeds is mostly seasonal, the timely implementation and success of national 
programme for extension and intensification of pisciculture would largely depend upon the speed and 
effectiveness with which the fish seeds are transported from the limited centres of collection or 
production to the far flung water areas spread over the entire count ry. The existing transport practices 
range from open containers with renewal of water at intervals to closed polyethylene bags sealed with 
oxygen under pressure.  
 
In the preparation of this African Standard, the following sources were consulted extensively : 
 
IS 10449:1983(R2000), Code for transport of live fish seeds for inland pisciculture purposes  
 
IS 4303 -1:1975, Code of hygienic conditions for fish industry — Part 1: Pre -processing stage  
 
IS 4303 -2:1975, Code of hygienic conditions for fish industry — Part 2: Canning stage  
 
Codex Alimentarius website: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/mrls/vetdrugs/jsp/vetd_q -e.jsp  
 
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service website: http://www.mrldatabase.com  
 
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/ AMSv1.0/Standards  
 
European Union: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/pharmaceuticals/veterinary -use/maximum -
residue -limits/index_en.htm  
 
Assistance derived from these sources is hereby acknowledged.  
 
 DARS 1 133:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  1  
Transport of live fish seeds for inland pisciculture purposes — Code 
of practice  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This African standard describes the  code  of practice of conditions for transport of live seeds of inland 
fish species for pisciculture purposes.  
 
NOTE  This Code excludes seeds of freshwater shellfish.  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
 
3 Definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard the following de finition shall apply:  
 
Fish seeds  
  fertilized eggs, spawn, fry and fingerlings of quick -growing species of warm and cold fresh water fish 
meant for development of inland pisciculture.  
 
4 General requirements  
 
4.1 The live fish seeds should l be stored where they should not be subjected to desiccation, 
extreme high and low temperatures and any other type of stress.  
 
4.2 Only healthy, disease resistant and conditioned live fish seeds should be selected and released 
for packing and transportation.  
 
4.3 As far as practicable, live fish seeds of the same species and size should be packed for 
transport. However, fish seeds of certain compatible species, of uniform size which are non -predaceous 
in habits can be packed in the same contain er. 
 
4.4 Fish seeds, as far as possible, should be transported as fast as possible by appropriate means 
of transport . 
 
4.5 Minimum of 50 percent of the space in each polyethylene bags used as containers for holding 
live fish seeds sh ould be filled with oxy gen, so as to provide a pressure of 1.0 kg per cm2. The mouth 
of the polyethylene bag should be tied tightly to prevent escape of oxygen during transportation.  
 
4.6 During transport, jerks, jolts and shocks s hould be avoided, as far as possible. In case of  
transport by rail, the fastest train should be chosen and in case of road transport for short distances 
nearest but metalled or good surfaced -road s hould  be used.  
 
5 Packing requirements  
 
5.1 Fertilized eggs  
 
Fertilized eggs at eyed -stage should be tran sported in insulated wooden cabinet of the dimensions 50 
× 25 × 40 cm. On the top of the cabinet 20 cm high cupboard with galvanized wire -netting base shall 
be provided to pack moss with snow or ice. Under the cupboard two trays should be arranged above 
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1 133:2023 
2 © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved  the other perforated zinc sheet base for packing moss, and to hold the water from the melting snow or 
ice lying above. Below the two trays 42 egg trays should be placed in two rows of tray 21 each. Each 
egg tray (23 × 23 × 100 cm) shall have a muslin cloth b ase to keep the eggs moist. Each egg tray 
should hold 1 000 eyed eggs in a single layer.  
 
5.2 Spawns, fry and fingerlings  
 
5.2.1  Only tested leak -proof polyethylene bags having not less than 75 micron thickness should be 
used to pack spawn, fry and fingerlings of fresh water fish. The dimensions of polyethylene bags should 
be 82 × 60 cm  or as appropriate.  
 
5.2.2  Fish seed s carps and trouts should be packed in accordance with size and number as given in 
Table 1, to avoid  mortality of more than 5 percent.  
 
Table 1 — Packing density of carp and trout spawn, fry and fingerlings  
 
Size range  Duration of transport  Number to be packed per 
polyethylene bag  (mm)  (hours)  
(1) (2) (3) 
5 to 10  12 to 24  10000 to 12000  
11 to 20  Up to 12  2500  
21 to 30  Up to 12  1500  
31 to 40  Up to 12  1000  
41 to 50  Up to 12  300 
51 to 60  Up to 12  200 
61 to 70  Up to 12  100 
71 to 80  Up to 12  50 
 
 
Table 2:  Packing density for tilapia  
 
 
Weight (grams)  Duration of 
transport (hours)  Number to be packed per 
polyethylene bag  Dimension of 
Polyethylene Bag (L x 
W in cm)  
0.1 - 0.2 12 to 24  5,000 to 6,000  42 x 20  
0.21 - 0.3 Up to 12  3,000 to 4,000  42 x 20  
0.31 - 0.4 Up to 12  2,000 to 2,500  42 x 20  
0.41 - 0.5 Up to 12  1,001 to 1,500  42 x 20  
0.51 - 0.6 Up to 12  801 to 1,000  42 x 20  
0.61 - 0.7 Up to 12  750 to 800  42 x 20  
0.71 - 0.8 Up to 12  601 to 600  42 x 20  
0.81 - 0.9 Up to 12  300 to 400  42 x 20  
0.91 - 1.0 Up to 12  250 to 500  42 x 20  
1.1 - 2.0 Up to 12  2,500 to 3,500  90 x 40  
2.1 - 3.0 Up to 12  2,000 to 3,000  90 x 40  
3.1 - 4.0 Up to 12  2,000 to 3,000  90 x 40  
4.1 - 5.0 Up to 12  2,100 to 2,800  90 x 40  
5.1 - 6.0 Up to 12  1000  90 x 40  
6.1 - 7.0 Up to 12  1,100  90 x 40  DARS 1 133:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  3 7.1 - 8.0 Up to 12  1,200  90 x 40  
8.1 - 9.0 Up to <>12  1,500  90 x 40  
9.1 - 10.0 Up to <>12  1,000  90 x 40  
    
Water should occupy up to 1/3 of the bag as a rule  
 
 
 
Table 3:  Packing density for catfish  
 
 
Weight (grams)  Duration of 
transport (hours)  Number to be packed 
per polyethylene bag  Dimension of 
Polyethylene Bag (L 
x W in  cm) 
0.2 - 0.5 12 to 24  4,000 to 5,000  90 x 40  
0.51 - 1.0 Up to 12  3,000 to 4,000  90 x 40  
1.1 - 2.0 Up to 12  2,500 to 3,500  90 x 40  
2.1 - 3.0 Up to 12  2,000 to 3,000  90 x 40  
3.1 - 4.0 Up to 12  2,000 to 3,000  90 x 40  
4.1 - 5.0 Up to 12  2,100 to 2,800  90 x 40  
5.1 - 6.0 Up to 12  1000  90 x 40  
6.1 - 7.0 Up to 12  1,100  90 x 40  
7.1 - 8.0 Up to 12  1,200  90 x 40  
8.1 - 9.0 Up to 12  1,500  90 x 40  
9.1 - 10.0 Up to 12  1,000  90 x 40  
    
Water should occupy up to 1/3 of the bag as a rule  
 
5.3 The polyethylene bags holding live fish seeds should be packed in suitable containers having 
press -in-lids. The container should be of good quality well insulated and of enough strength to withstand 
the stresses and strains encountered during transportatio n by the appropriate means of transport . Only 
one polyethylene bag should be packed in each container.  
 
5.4 The polyethylene bag s hould  be filled with pure chlorine -free fresh water up to 50 percent of its 
capacity before releasing spawn, fry and fingerlin gs. 
 
5.5 Loading and unloading of the containers should be done efficiently and quickly after sealing the 
mouth of the polyethylene bag and be done immediately after the arrival of the consignment of fish 
seed. The container should be handled with care during storage  whilst being transported . 
 
6 Labelling  
 
6.1 Each container shall bear a label giving the following information written legibly and indelibly:  
 
a) Name of the species;  
 
b) Stage of fish seeds (spawn, fry or fingerlings),  
 
c) Name, address , location  and telephone number of the consignor; and  
 
d) Name, address , location  and telephone number of the consignee.  
 DARS 1 133:2023 
4 © ARSO  2023 — All rights reserved  e)  Batch no.  
 
f) country of origin  
 
6.2 Each container shall also be marked with a cautionary notice reading as under:  
 
'TOP PRIORITY. LIVE FISH SEEDS. HANDLE WITH CARE'  
 
6.3 Each container shall bear on the face a red arrow showing the upper side.  
 
 
 
 
 
  DARS 1 133:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  5 Bibliography  
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS 1 133:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved