Aquaculture Health

Last Modified: February 27, 2024
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Aquaculture, the production of aquatic animals and plants under controlled conditions, is an ever-growing agribusiness in the United States and worldwide. The impact of disease on aquatic livestock, like all livestock sectors, includes production and market loss and increased costs. APHIS supports U.S. aquaculture industries by protecting aquatic livestock health, promoting U.S. farm-raised aquaculture products, and protecting natural resources.

APHIS works with U.S. aquaculture producers, allied businesses, associations, and partners to improve, establish, and maintain healthy aquatic livestock and promote sustainable production practices. We support risk-based approaches to demonstrate and protect aquatic livestock health and ensure farm-raised aquatic animals' safe and secure movement.

Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus

Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is a serious viral fish disease that affects wild and farm-raised Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and brown trout.
Spring Viremia of Carp Virus

Spring viremia of carp (SVC) is a viral disease of fish that primarily affects farmed carp and related species. It is an acute and highly contagious disease.
Tilapia Lake Virus

Tilapia lake virus is a serious viral fish disease that affects farmed and wild tilapia.
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease of freshwater and saltwater fish.

World Organisation for Animal Health and Emerging Diseases

We encourage reporting detections of all World Organisation for Animal Health-listed aquatic animal diseases to state animal health officials. Producers should work with aquatic animal veterinarians and other aquatic animal health experts to address issues on the production site.

Comprehensive Aquaculture Health Program Standards

The Comprehensive Aquaculture Health Program Standards (CAHPS) provide a framework for improving and verifying the health of farmed aquatic animals produced in the United States.

The goals of the standards are to:

  • Improve the health of U.S. farm-raised aquatic animals
  • Facilitate safe interstate and international trade or movement of live aquatic animals
  • Improve the marketability of animals produced by CAHPS participants

To be effective, our program standards need cooperation from States, other Federal agencies, and private industry. With industry support, APHIS initiated the rulemaking process to codify CAHPS. Stay tuned for open commenting opportunities in the Federal Register.

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