A REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BIOSECURITY POLICY DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO MOVEMENTS OF FRESHWATER CRAYFISH

Abstract

Freshwater crayfish are frequently traded, both alive (for human consumption or for fisheries/aquaculture stocking) and as processed products (e.g. fresh or frozen, cooked or uncooked). As the experience in Europe with crayfish plague has shown, there can be significant risks of translocating pathogens with such trade. Such risks can be assessed in an import risk analysis process. This paper will concentrate on describing the principles of import risk analysis (IRA) with particular reference to freshwater crayfish.

Keywords

• freshwater crayfish
• exotic disease
• import risk analysis
• Government biosecurity policy