Division 6.1 INTRODUCTION

The risk level of farms and mollusc farming areas varies, not only between areas having a different health status, but also within areas with the same health status^f1.

Section 6.2 gives guidance on the risk factors to be taken into account when determining the risk level of farms and mollusc farming areas.

Section 6.3 sets out a model which may be used for the classification of farms and mollusc farming areas as having a high, medium or low risk level. F1The appropriate authority may use other models to determine the risk level of farms and mollusc farming areas, if such models are considered more suited in a given situation.

These guidelines do not provide information concerning the way F2the appropriate authority should apply the model set out in Section 6.3. F3The appropriate authority may:

1. (a)

   apply that model to each individual farm and mollusc farming area to determine its individual risk level; or

2. (b)

   use the model to catalogue the different types of farms and mollusc farming areas on their territory and, on that basis, define which categories of farms and mollusc farming areas should be regarded as having a low, medium or high risk level.