Importing, stocking, and transferring fish eggs in aquaculture provisions modification

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
deleted text begin
with enteric redmouth,

whirling disease, or furunculosis
deleted text end
new text begin
from sources that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,

Myxobolus cerebralis
,
Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
,
Aeromonas salmonicida
, epizootic

epitheliotropic disease virus, or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
new text end
may be imported following

treatment approved by the commissioner, and fish
deleted text begin
with bacterial kidney disease or viral

hemorrhagic septicemia
deleted text end
new text begin
or eggs from sources that test positive for
Renibacterium

salmoninarum
new text end
may be imported into areas where the
deleted text begin
disease
deleted text end
new text begin
pathogen
new text end
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
deleted text begin
with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis
deleted text end
new text begin

from sources that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,
Myxobolus cerebralis
,
Tetracapsuloides

bryosalmonae
,
Aeromonas salmonicida
, epizootic epitheliotropic disease virus, or viral

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

and fish
deleted text begin
with bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
deleted text end
new text begin
or eggs from sources

that test positive for
Renibacterium salmoninarum
new text end
may be imported into areas where the
deleted text begin

disease
deleted text end
new text begin
pathogen
new text end
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.

new text begin
(a)
new text end
Except as
new text begin
provided under paragraph

(b) and as
new text end
otherwise provided
deleted text begin
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
deleted text end
, 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.

new text begin

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

Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
,
Aeromonas salmonicida
, epizootic epitheliotropic disease

virus, 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
deleted text begin
with bacterial kidney disease or

viral hemorrhagic septicemia
deleted text end
new text begin
or eggs from sources that test positive for
Renibacterium

salmoninarum
new text end
into areas or waters where
deleted text begin
either disease
deleted text end
new text begin
the pathogen
new text end
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
deleted text begin
with enteric redmouth, whirling disease, or furunculosis
deleted text end
new text begin
from sources that test

positive for
Yersinia ruckeri
,
Myxobolus cerebralis
,
Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
,

Aeromonas salmonicida
, epizootic epitheliotropic disease virus, or viral hemorrhagic

septicemia
new text end
may be transferred between licensed facilities
deleted text begin
or stocked
deleted text end
following treatment

approved by the commissioner;

(2) fish
deleted text begin
with bacterial kidney disease or viral hemorrhagic septicemia
deleted text end
new text begin
or eggs from

sources that test positive for
Renibacterium salmoninarum
new text end
may be transferred between

licensed facilities or stocked in areas where the
deleted text begin
disease
deleted text end
new text begin
pathogen
new text end
has been identified as

being present; and

(3) the commissioner may allow transfer between licensed facilities or stocking of fish
deleted text begin

with enteric redmouth or furunculosis
deleted text end
new text begin
from facilities that test positive for
Yersinia ruckeri

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

no threat to the state's aquatic resources.