Therapeutant Use and Record Keeping

There are specific regulatory standards pertaining to documentation requirements when administering prescription therapeutants to farmed fish. Documentation of therapeutants is an important record keeping requirement for the salmon farmer.

Records are kept that identify treatment and treatment schedules. Finfish may not be harvested after administering a drug unless the Canadian Food and Drugs Act provides standards governing the use of the drug and the holder has complied with those standards or the drug is prescribed by a veterinarian and the mandatory period of time has passed since the administration of the drug, based on the veterinarian prescription.

To satisfy this requirement, the operator must be able to demonstrate that all appropriate paper work has been completed to document and track the administration of these therapeutants.

This includes a log of:

the therapeutants;
how they were administered;
the treatment schedule including the date treatment commenced;
the date of last treatment;
the location of the aquaculture facility;
the name of the veterinarian who prescribed any therapeutants.

The holder should also be able to produce a statement with specific information that accompanies the fish to the processing plants that provides verification that any withdrawal period has been complied with.

Fish Health Links

Updated: 20 October 2006