2003/513/EC: Commission Decision of 11 July 2003 on certain protective measures with regard to Gyrodactylus salaris in salmonids (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 2312)
Date: 2003-07-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: fish disease, health control, sea fish, transport of animals, veterinary inspection

L 177/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.7.2003

COMMISSION DECISION

of 11 July 2003

on certain protective measures with regard to Gyrodactylus salaris in salmonids

(notified under document number C(2003) 2312)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/513/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June
1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable
in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products
with a view to the completion of the internal market (1), as last
amended by Directive 2002/33/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council (2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Decision 96/490/EC of 18 July 1996 on
certain protective measures with regard to Gyrodactylus
salaris in salmonids (3) has been substantially amended (4).
In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Deci-
sion should be codified.

(7)

(8)

The Member States to which protective measures with
regard to Gyrodactylus salaris apply, have a testing and
surveillance programme for Gyrodactylus salaris in place.
The results thereof should be regularly communicated to
the Commission.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor-
dance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The introduction into the regions referred to in Annex I of live
salmonids originating from outside these regions shall not be
allowed.

Gyrodactylus salaris is an external parasite of salmonids
which is able to cause serious mortalities in Salmo salar.

Article 2

Experience has shown that the disease can spread from
to previously uninfected regions
infected regions
through commercial
salmon and other
transfers of
salmonids. The disease can also spread between rivers
through natural migration of salmonids.

The introduction of salmonid ova for breeding purposes into
the regions referred to in Annex I originating from outside
these regions, shall be subject to the application to the ova of
disinfection procedures ensuring the elimination of parasites
belonging to the species Gyrodactylus salaris.

It is necessary to prevent the spread of the disease from
regions in the Community possibly infected with Gyro-
dactylus salaris.

Article 3

The introduction of
the parasite into regions with
salmon stocks which are highly susceptible to Gyrodac-
losses of such
tylus
therefore necessary to lay down the
salmon.
measures necessary to prevent such introduction.

salaris could lead to important

is

It

Procedures should be established in order to protect
regions with highly susceptible salmon stocks or which
are presumably free of Gyrodactylus salaris.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 315, 19.11.2002, p. 14.
(3) OJ L 202, 10.8.1996, p. 21.
(4) See Annex II.

1.
In the case of the movement of live salmonids between
the regions referred to in Annex I, the health attestation in
point VI of the movement document referred to in Annex E,
Chapter 1 of Council Directive 91/67/EEC (5)
shall be
completed with the following sentence:

‘The fish belonging to the present consignment originate in
one of the regions referred to in Annex I to Commission
Decision 2003/513/EC on certain protective measures with
regard to Gyrodactylus salaris in salmonids.’

The movement of
from the buffer zone
mentioned in point 3 of Annex I to the other regions referred
to in that Annex shall not be allowed.

live salmonids

(5) OJ L 46, 19.2.1991, p. 1.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

16.7.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 177/23

In the case of consignments of ova of salmonids origi-
2.
nating from outside the regions referred to in Annex I and
introduced for breeding purposes into one of these regions, the
health attestation in point VI of
the movement document
referred to in Annex E, Chapter 1 of Directive 91/67/EEC shall
be completed with the following sentence:

‘The eggs belonging to the present consignment have been
disinfected as required by Commission Decision 2003/513/
EC on certain protective measures with regard to Gyrodac-
tylus salaris in salmonids.’

Article 4

The competent authorities of the Member States responsible for
the regions referred to in Annex I shall submit their salmonid
livestock to continuous surveillance testing and laboratory
examination in order to verify the absence of Gyrodactylus salaris
and present each year, not later than 1 July, all the results
thereof to the Commission.

Article 5

Decision 96/490/EC is repealed.

References to said repealed Decision shall be construed as refer-
ences to this Decision and shall be read in accordance with the
correlation table in Annex III.

Article 6

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 11 July 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

L 177/24

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Official Journal of the European Union

16.7.2003

ANNEX I

REGIONS

1. The following regions in the United Kingdom: Great Britain, Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man, Guernsey.

2. Ireland.

3. The following water catchment areas in Finland: Tenojoki, Näätämönjoki, (buffer zone: Paatsjoki, Luttojoki, Uutuan-

joki).

ANNEX II

REPEALED DECISION WITH ITS AMENDMENT

Commission Decision 96/490/EC

Commission Decision 98/24/EC

(OJ L 202, 10.8.1996, p. 21)

(OJ L 8, 14.1.1998, p. 26)

ANNEX III

CORRELATION TABLE

Decision 96/490/EC

This Decision

Articles 1 to 4

Articles 1 to 4

Article 5

Article 6

—

Article 7

Annex

—

—

—

—

Article 5

Article 6

Annex I

Annex II

Annex III