APHIS Factsheet

Veterinary Services January 2007

Questions and 

Answers About the 

Viral Hemorrhagic 

Septicemia Federal 

Order

Q. What is Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia?

A. VHS is a highly contagious pathogen of fresh and 

saltwater fish. It causes clinical signs including internal hemorrhaging and death in susceptible species. 

Some fish will show no external signs while others 

show signs including bulging eyes, bloated abdomens, 

inactive or overactive behavior, and hemorrhaging 

in the eyes, skin, gills, and at the base of the fins. 

Infected fish may also have lesions that look like those 

caused by other fish diseases. Therefore, testing 

is necessary to determine whether fish are infected. 

VHS has been reported in several of the Great Lakes 

and related tributaries where a number of large-scale 

dieoffs of wild fish have occurred. The disease does 

not pose a risk to people, but the VHS virus has been 

found to infect at least 37 fish species.

Q. How did VHS arrive in the Great Lakes area?

A. It is not known how the disease arrived in the Great 

Lakes area. In the past, VHS was thought to be a 

concern only for trout and a few other freshwater fish 

raised for commercial aquaculture in Europe. The 

disease was first detected in Lake Ontario in 2005 and 

has since been detected in Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie 

and the St. Lawrence River, as well as Conesus Lake. 

As a result of additional research, we now know that 

the disease was present in Lake St. Clair as early as 

2003. Before being detected in the Great Lakes area, 

VHS was limited in North America to saltwater finfish 

from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The recent outbreak in the Great Lakes region appears to be a new 

strain of the virus. This new strain is responsible for 

dieoffs in many freshwater species. 

Q. What initial action did the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) take in response to this disease threat? 

A. On Oct. 24, 2006, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS) issued an emergency 

order prohibiting the importation of 37 species of live 

fish from two Canadian provinces into the United 

States and the interstate movement of the same species from the eight States bordering the Great Lakes. 

The emergency order was issued in response to the 

rapid spread of VHS in the Great Lakes region. In 

addition, the Great Lakes strain of the virus impacts a 

greater number of fish species. 

Q. Why did USDA revise the initial Federal Order? 

A. Following the release of this emergency order, 

APHIS held a two-day meeting to discuss VHS and 

the development of a Federal regulatory program. 

During this meeting, APHIS received several recommendations from participants regarding modifications 

to the Federal Order that could be made to alleviate 

impacts on industry and related businesses in the 

Great Lakes region while still protecting against the 

spread of VHS. On Nov. 14, 2006, APHIS modified 

the Federal Order to allow live fish of VHS-susceptible 

species to move from the eight States bordering the 

Great Lakes provided that certain conditions are met. 

With the exception of salmonids, the movement of 

VHS-susceptible species from Quebec and Ontario, 

Canada into the United States remains prohibited 

under the Federal Order.

Q. Has VHS been found in commercially raised 

fish in the United States? 

A. No. Detections of VHS have been limited in North 

America to the wild ocean-going and freshwater fish. 

The goal of the Federal Order is to prevent the spread 

of the disease to aquaculture facilities. 

Q. What States are included in the amended

Federal Order and why?

A. The following States are included in the Federal 

Order: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New 

York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The States 

of New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio have 

experienced fish die offs due to VHS. While such die 

offs have not been observed in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, these States are considered 

to be at-risk of having the disease because they too 

are part of the Great Lakes watershed and unimpeded 

natural fish movements between these bodies of water 

can spread the disease. Entire States rather than 

watersheds are included in the Federal Order because 

of the unrestricted intrastate movement of fish through 

human activity. Future surveillance may be able to 

more closely delineate the presence of VHS in specific 

areas.
Q. Why is the Federal Order necessary?

A. The goal of the Federal Order is to prevent the 

spread of VHS into aquaculture facilities while also 

preventing the spread of the disease from the Great 

Lakes area to uninfected bodies of water. APHIS 

will continue to gather more information about the 

disease in order to provide the best possible 

protection against VHS. 

Q. Is APHIS going to follow the Federal Order 

with official rulemaking?

A. Yes. APHIS will be drafting an interim rule to 

further address the international and domestic 

movement of VHS-susceptible fish. The rule will be 

published in the Federal Register along with a notice 

for public comment. The Federal Order will remain in 

effect until the interim rule is published in the Federal 

Register.

Q. Do the requirements in the Federal Order only 

apply to live fish?

A. Yes. Fertilized eggs or other gametes, dead 

fish, and tissues (organs, blood, scales, etc.) are not 

covered under the Federal Order and may continue 

to move to diagnostic labs or in commerce.

Q. What conditions must be met under the Federal Order to move live VHS-susceptible species 

interstate for slaughter?

A. In order for live VHS-susceptible species to move 

interstate for slaughter, the fish must be:

• Intended for human consumption.

• Transported to a State-inspected slaughter 

 facility that discharges waste water into a munici-

 pal sewage system that includes waste water 

 treatment. As an alternative, the facility can 

 also dispose of waste water in a nondischarg 

 ing, settling pond or a settling pond with disin- 

 fection according to Environmental Protection 

 Agency (EPA) and State requirements. Offal, 

 including carcasses, from the slaughter facility 

 must be either rendered or composted.

• Accompanied by the proper USDA documenta 

 tion (VS form 1-27) for the movement of restricted 

 animals if not tested for VHS.

Q. What is a settling pond with disinfection?

A. A settling pond is one of several ways a slaughter 

facility or processing plant can remove waste water. 

Not all settling ponds incorporate a disinfection 

process. State agencies overseeing slaughter plants 

ensure that the disinfection process meets applicable 

EPA and State regulatory standards.

Q. What conditions must be met under the Federal Order to move live VHS-susceptible fish for 

research and testing?

A. In order for live VHS-susceptible species to move 

to research and diagnostic laboratories, the fish must 

be:

• Accompanied by the proper USDA documenta 

 tion (VS form 1-27) for the movement of restricted 

 animals stating the fish are destined for a 

 research or diagnostic laboratory. The laboratory 

 must be approved by State, Tribal, or Federal 

 authorities for aquatic animal health.

• Received at a facility where waste fluids and car 

 casses are considered medical waste and dis 

 posed of according to EPA and State require 

 ments.

Q. Where can producers get a VS form 1-27?

A. VS form 1-27 is available through APHIS’ Veterinary Services’ (VS) area offices. A list of the area 

offices is available at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/area_

offices.htm. Please contact the area office in your 

State, and staff will complete the form for you, sign it, 

and provide you with a copy to accompany your 

shipment. 

Q. What conditions must be met under the Federal Order to move live VHS-susceptible species 

for purposes other than slaughter, research, or 

diagnostics?

A. In order to move live VHS-susceptible species for 

purposes other than slaughter, research or, diagnostics, the fish must be transported with documentation 

from appropriate State, Tribal, or Federal authorities 

for aquatic animal health stating that the fish have 

tested negative for the VHS virus under existing 

national and international standards specified in the 

Federal Order. National standards for testing are 

detailed in the American Fisheries Society Suggested 

Procedures for the Detection and Identification of 

Certain Finfish and Shellfish Pathogens also referred 

to as the AFS Blue Book. The blue book is available 

online at www.fisheries.org/fhs. International standards for testing are included in the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Manual of Diagnostic 

Tests for Aquatic Animals, which is available online at 

www.oie.int/eng/normes/fmanual/A_00022.htm.

Q. Does this mean that live fish can move interstate from the 8 States included in the Federal 

Order if they test negative for VHS?

A. Live fish can move interstate if they test negative 

for VHS and are accompanied by documentation from 

the appropriate State, Tribal, or Federal authority for 

aquatic animal health. This documentation ensures 

that all testing is conducted in accordance with the 

Federal Order at an approved State, Tribal, or Federal laboratory.

Q. What type of documentation is required?

A. The appropriate documentation is determined 

by the competent State, Tribal, or Federal authority 

for aquatic animal health. It could be a letter, health 

certificate, or permit depending on individual State, 

Tribal, or Federal requirements.
Q. What is a competent authority for aquatic 

animal health?

A. A competent authority is defined as the State, 

Tribal, or Federal agency that has jurisdiction over 

aquatic animal health. It is recommended that producers contact their State aquaculture coordinator for 

more information. A list of State aquaculture coordinators can be found at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/

under General Information.

Q. Who determines whether the testing meets 

national and international standards?

A. The appropriate State, Tribal, or Federal competent authority in the originating jurisdiction will make 

that determination.

Q. Do all species of fish need to be tested for 

VHS?

A. No. Only live VHS-susceptible species originating from the 8 States included in the Federal Order 

need to be tested before moving interstate. The list 

of VHS-susceptible species included in the Federal 

Order can be found at: 

www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/. This list may be 

updated as our knowledge of species susceptibility 

increases. 

Q. Is testing farm based or fish-lot based?

A. The State, Tribal, or Federal competent authority 

for aquatic animal health in the originating jurisdiction 

will make that determination.

Q. How can producers find approved laboratories 

for VHS testing?

A. APHIS recommends that producers contact their 

State or Tribal competent authority for aquatic animal 

health. The appropriate authority will determine 

which laboratories are approved to test for VHS. 

These laboratories may include State, Federal, and 

University labs.

Q. How can producers find aquatic animal health 

professionals to collect samples for VHS testing?

A. APHIS recommends that producers contact their 

State aquaculture coordinator to provide assistance in 

locating an aquatic animal health professional. 

A list of State aquaculture coordinators can be found 

at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/ under General 

Information.

Q. Does the Federal Order have any implications 

for the 42 States not included in the emergency 

action? 

A. States not included in the Federal Order can continue to move live VHS-susceptible fish species with

out restriction. In addition, fish originating in States 

not included in the Federal order can transit 

the affected Great Lakes States without oversight. 

Q. Do any requirements other than those 

included in the Federal Order need to be met to 

move live VHS-susceptible species interstate?

A. Yes. In addition to the Federal Order, producers 

need to meet their existing State requirements as well 

as any requirements stipulated by the receiving State. 

Q. Can live VHS-susceptible fish be imported into 

the United States from Canada?

A. VHS-susceptible fish from all Canadian provinces 

except Ontario and Quebec can continue to move in 

U.S. commerce without restriction. With the exception of salmonids, all live VHS-susceptible species 

from Ontario and Quebec are prohibited from entering the United States at this time. VHS-susceptible 

species of salmonid fish may enter the United States 

from Ontario and Quebec only if they meet the 

requirements specified in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service Title 50 Certification. These requirements 

can be found in 50 CFR 16.13.a.3 and 16.13.b. For a 

copy of the certificate, please go to www.fws.gov/

forms/3-2274.pdf. 

Q. Does APHIS have plans to provide compensation for income lost as a result of the Federal 

Order?

A. No. Under the Animal Health Protection Act, 

APHIS only has the authority to provide compensation for animals depopulated as part of a disease 

eradication program. Under the Federal Order APHIS 

is not requiring the destruction of VHS-susceptible 

species, we are only regulating their movement. The 

revisions to the original Federal Order allow some 

movement while still protecting against the spread of 

VHS.

Q. If VHS-susceptible live fish originate outside 

of the States affected by the Federal Order, and 

the fish are held for any period of time in one of 

the States included in the Federal Order, are they 

exempt from the conditions of the Federal Order?

A. No. Once the fish are held for any period of time 

in one of the States included in the Federal Order, 

their origin changes and as a result, the fish must 

meet the provisions of the Federal Order to move 

interstate.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, 

genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part 

of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons 

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice 

and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, 

Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. , 

Washington , D.C. 20250–9410 , or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or 

(202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 

employer. 

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture