Division I.4 Requirements for the lifting of containment measures provided for in Part 4 of the Aquatic Animal Health Regulations, namely the change from Category V to Category III health statusF1

A F2constituent GB territory, zone or a compartment which has Category V health status with regard to either VHS or IHN or both may achieve Category III health status with regard to those listed diseases provided that:

1. (a)

   the requirements set out in points I.2.2.1(a), (b) and (c) have been met. In case fallowing is not technically possible, the farms concerned shall be subject to an alternative measure which provides almost similar guarantee for extermination of either IHNV or VHSV or both from the environment of the farm;

2. (b)

   all farms officially declared infected and all other farms fallowed/been subject to alternative measures in accordance with (a) within the established protection and surveillance zones have been restocked with fish F3from—

   1. (i)

      a constituent GB territory, zone or compartment with a Category 1, 2 or 3 health status with regard to either VHS or IHN or both;

   2. (ii)

      any part of Northern Ireland which has Category 1, 2 or 3 health status, within the meaning of Part A of Annex 3 to the EU Directive, in respect of either or both of those diseases;

   3. (iii)

      the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a third country, where the appropriate authority has consented to the restocking.

3. (c)

   the restocking has only taken place after all farms officially declared infected, have been emptied, cleansed, disinfected and fallowed/been subject to alternative measures in accordance with (a).

F4For the purposes of point (b)(iii), consent may only be given if the appropriate authority is satisfied that the disease risk posed by fish from that source is no greater than if they were from a source which would satisfy point (b)(i).