Provisions for importing, stocking, and transferring fish eggs in aquaculture modified.

A bill for an act

relating to natural resources; modifying provisions for importing, stocking, and

transferring fish eggs in aquaculture; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections

17.4986, subdivisions 2, 3; 17.4987; 17.4992, subdivision 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 17.4986, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Licensed facilities.

(a) The commissioner shall issue transportation permits to

import:

(1) indigenous and naturalized species except trout, salmon, catfish, or species on the

VHS-susceptible-species list and sperm from any source to a standard facility;

(2) trout, salmon, catfish, or species on the VHS-susceptible-species list from a

nonemergency enzootic disease area to a containment facility if the fish are certified within

the previous year to be free of certifiable diseases, except that eggs
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with enteric redmouth,

whirling disease, or furunculosis
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from sources that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,

Myxobolus cerebralis
,
Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
,
Aeromonas salmonicida
, or viral

hemorrhagic septicemia
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may be imported following treatment approved by the commissioner,

and fish
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with bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
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or eggs from sources

that test positive for
Renibacterium salmoninarum
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may be imported into areas where the
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disease
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pathogen
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has been identified as being present; and

(3) trout, salmon, catfish, or species on the VHS-susceptible-species list from a facility

in a nonemergency enzootic disease area with a disease-free history of three years or more

to a standard facility, except that eggs
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with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis
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from sources that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,
Myxobolus cerebralis
,
Tetracapsuloides

bryosalmonae
,
Aeromonas salmonicida
, or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
new text end
may be imported

following treatment approved by the commissioner, and fish
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with bacterial kidney disease

or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
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or eggs from sources that test positive for
Renibacterium

salmoninarum
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may be imported into areas where the
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disease
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pathogen
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has been identified

as being present.

(b) If a source facility in a nonemergency enzootic disease area cannot demonstrate a

history free from disease, aquatic life may only be imported into a quarantine facility.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 17.4986, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Emergency enzootic disease area.

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(a)
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Except as
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provided under paragraph

(b) and as
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otherwise provided
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and except that eggs with enteric redmouth, whirling disease,

or furunculosis may be imported following treatment approved by the commissioner, and

fish with bacterial kidney disease may be imported into areas where the disease has been

previously introduced
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, fish may be imported from emergency enzootic disease areas only

as fertilized eggs under the following conditions:

(1) to be imported into a standard facility, fertilized eggs must have a disease-free history

for at least five years;

(2) to be imported into a containment facility, fertilized eggs must have a disease-free

history for at least three years; or

(3) to be imported into a quarantine facility, fertilized eggs may have a disease-free

history of less than three years.

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(b) Eggs from sources that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,
Myxobolus cerebralis
,

Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
,
Aeromonas salmonicida
, or viral hemorrhagic septicemia

may be imported following treatment approved by the commissioner. Fish or eggs from

sources that test positive for
Renibacterium salmoninarum
may be imported into areas where

the pathogen has been identified as being present.

new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 17.4987, is amended to read:

17.4987 STOCKING PRIVATE AQUATIC LIFE.

(a) A person may not release private aquatic life into public waters that are not licensed

as part of an aquatic farm without first obtaining a transportation permit from the

commissioner. The commissioner may:

(1) deny issuance of a permit if releasing the private aquatic life is not consistent with

the management plan for the public waters; and

(2) approve the import, transport, and stocking of fish
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with bacterial kidney disease or

viral hemorrhagic septicemia
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or eggs from sources that test positive for
Renibacterium

salmoninarum
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into areas or waters where
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either disease
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the pathogen
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has been identified

as being present.

(b) The commissioner shall make management plans available to the public.

(c) If a permit is denied, the commissioner must provide reasons for the denial in writing.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 17.4992, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Restriction on the sale of fish.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), species

on the VHS-susceptible-species list must be free of viral hemorrhagic septicemia and species

of the family salmonidae or ictaluridae, except bullheads, must be free of certifiable diseases

if sold for stocking or transfer to another aquatic farm.

(b) The following exceptions apply to paragraph (a):

(1) eggs
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with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis
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from sources that test

positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,
Myxobolus cerebralis
,
Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
,

Aeromonas salmonicida
, or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
new text end
may be transferred between

licensed facilities
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or stocked
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following treatment approved by the commissioner;

(2) fish
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with bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
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or eggs from

sources that test positive for
Renibacterium salmoninarum
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may be transferred between

licensed facilities or stocked in areas where the
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disease
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pathogen
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has been identified as

being present; and

(3) the commissioner may allow transfer between licensed facilities or stocking of fish
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with enteric redmouth or furunculosis
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from facilities that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri

or
Aeromonas salmonicida
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when the commissioner determines that doing so would pose

no threat to the state's aquatic resources.