Abstract
The Questionnaire on Surveillance and Diagnosis (S&D) included questions on how fish farms are health categorised according to Council Directive 2006/88/EC in the respective countries. More than half of the authorised farms in Europe are in category III for VHS and IHN and the remaining in category I or II. According to these official data almost no farms are infected with either of these diseases. This might be more due to a significant underreporting than of the de facto situation. For KHV most carp farms are in category III, unknown status. Many farms in Europe are not categorised yet, and unfortunately the situation have not improved much from 2010.. In the questionnaire we ask for the number of APBs in these areas. There are several different views on how categorisation shall be performed, e.g. should VHS free marine rainbow trout farms be placed in Category III or I? If Isavirus HPR0 is found in or in proximity of a farm can it remain its Category I status? Some Member states do not include registered APBs in the categorisation but according to 2006/88/EC Annex III health categorisation comprise Member states, zone and compartments NOT single APBs. A new Animal Health Law is under preparation and revision and will now include aquatic animals; in this connection the categorisation system might be simplified and be made more transparent.