I
Ian Cloke
Guest
Fish disease detected at farm
The disease was found in a trout sample during a routine testing
Trout at a commercial farm in Ceredigion have tested positive for bacterial kidney disease (BKD), the Welsh Assembly Government says.
Routine testing revealed the disease, which poses no risk to humans but can cause large numbers of fish deaths, at Brongest Fish Farm near Cardigan.
The assembly government said the farm is the only site in Wales to be hit.
Investigations are continuing, and all movement of fish to and from the farm has been stopped.
The assembly government issued a statement on Fridayconfirming it was a commercial farm which had been hit.
Assembly government spokesperson
Measures have been put in place to prevent the disease spreading, and the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) is working with the owner to eradicate the disease.
Farms that have received fish from Brongest have been contacted, and advised to contact the FHI if they notice unusual numbers of fish deaths.
In a newspaper notice, the assembly government said the disease had been found in a trout sample during routine fish health-monitoring.
Symptoms
It said BKD was first discovered in Atlantic salmon on the River Dee in Scotland in the 1930s, and in 1976, the first notable case occurred in farmed rainbow trout.
The notice said that whilst the disease is considered serious, it is not widespread in the UK.
It said infected fish may display protruding eyes, a swollen abdomen, pale anaemic gills and haemorrhaging at the base of the gills.
The assembly government said there should be no impact on angling or angling tourism.
A spokesperson said: "Movement controls will remain on the farm until tests prove that the site is free from infection.
"The disease is not weather dependant, although the majority of outbreaks in Europe tend to occur in the spring and summer."
Attempts to contact Brongest Farm were unsuccessful.
The disease was found in a trout sample during a routine testing
Trout at a commercial farm in Ceredigion have tested positive for bacterial kidney disease (BKD), the Welsh Assembly Government says.
Routine testing revealed the disease, which poses no risk to humans but can cause large numbers of fish deaths, at Brongest Fish Farm near Cardigan.
The assembly government said the farm is the only site in Wales to be hit.
Investigations are continuing, and all movement of fish to and from the farm has been stopped.
The assembly government issued a statement on Fridayconfirming it was a commercial farm which had been hit.
Assembly government spokesperson
Measures have been put in place to prevent the disease spreading, and the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) is working with the owner to eradicate the disease.
Farms that have received fish from Brongest have been contacted, and advised to contact the FHI if they notice unusual numbers of fish deaths.
In a newspaper notice, the assembly government said the disease had been found in a trout sample during routine fish health-monitoring.
Symptoms
It said BKD was first discovered in Atlantic salmon on the River Dee in Scotland in the 1930s, and in 1976, the first notable case occurred in farmed rainbow trout.
The notice said that whilst the disease is considered serious, it is not widespread in the UK.
It said infected fish may display protruding eyes, a swollen abdomen, pale anaemic gills and haemorrhaging at the base of the gills.
The assembly government said there should be no impact on angling or angling tourism.
A spokesperson said: "Movement controls will remain on the farm until tests prove that the site is free from infection.
"The disease is not weather dependant, although the majority of outbreaks in Europe tend to occur in the spring and summer."
Attempts to contact Brongest Farm were unsuccessful.