RSSBP Best Management Practices
RSSBP Best Management Practices were developed collaboratively by shellfish pathologists, industry operators, and extension professionals. They are intentionally flexible to accommodate hatcheries of different sizes and complexity, and are based on practical, common‑sense practices already used by most hatcheries.
Best Management Practices List
1. Water treatment to prevent pathogen exposure during early life stage cultivation should employ a series of filters to get to 1µm filtration, or demonstrate another means to minimize the risk of pathogen exposure from source water (e.g., pasteurization, well water, etc.).
2. Adequate separation is required between untreated water and treated water to avoid cross contamination including physical separation of areas, water drainage, equipment, workflow, and cleaning.
2-a. Physical separation of areas– Adult animals, i.e., broodstock, should be segregated from algal, larval, and post-set culture systems. If applicable, quarantine practices must be demonstrated for all non-local endemic species of broodstock.
2-b. Water drainage – Untreated water must be contained and directed to drains to prevent cross contamination of equipment, facility surfaces or being tracked throughout the facility.
2-c. Equipment – Equipment should be dedicated to specific operational areas or effectively sanitized between uses when shared.
2-d. Workflow – Operations should be designed to prevent the introduction of raw water and contaminants from entering treated water areas.
2-e. Cleaning – Cleaning of water filters or other items should be conducted in separate areas from treated water to avoid cross contamination.
3. Records should be kept for broodstock, spawning, and maintenance of systems used to eliminate POCs.
3-a. Broodstock records must be maintained and document source location (source water), genetic background, and collection date. If applicable, quarantine practices must be documented for all non-local endemic species of broodstock.
3 – b. Spawning records must be maintained that document the specific broodstock used, spawn code, and date spawned to accommodate trace back from health certification results.
3-c. Records should be kept indicating maintenance of systems to eliminate POCs from source water (e.g., filter change regimes, relative “age” of all active filters).
4. Health examinations should be conducted on animals experiencing unexplained, atypical mortality and records kept.
This maintains the Program’s ability to stay alert to possible emerging pathogens as well as POCs. The Shellfish Health Advisory Council must be notified of any disease issues that come up during Program participation including any actions taken to rectify the situation.
5. All Federal, State and Local permitting requirements must be followed.
Facilities must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. Non-compliance will result in removal of the hatchery from the RSSBP.