VANUATU The Republic of Vanuatu is a nation composed of an archipelago of 84 islands and approximately 220,000 people the majority of whom live a basically subsistence and agricultural based existence with financial service industries, tourism and export agricultural products providing the major source of foreign earnings. Cattle were originally introduced to keep the ground clear under coconut plantations. With the fall in the price of copra and following a pasture improvement programme in the late 1980s beef production has become increasingly important in Vanuatu as an industry both for local supply and export. Live cattle were exported several years ago however now the only live animal exports are ornamental marine fish. 1
ORNAMENTAL MARINE FISH EXPORTS At present there are two licensed exporters of ornamental marine fish in Vanuatu:- 1. Sustainable Reef Suppliers SRS Blacksands area, Port Vila 2. Reef Life Vanuatu Pango village, Port Vila Collection site - Hat Island, North Efate SUSTAINABLE REEF SUPPLIERS Commenced operation 2002 - Canadian owner is Mr. Grant Norton - Markets are : European Union, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan - Total number of ornamental fish exported in 2009 = - Total value of ornamental fish exports for 2009 = 2
REEF LIFE VANUATU Commenced operation in 2003 - Ni Vanuatu owner is Mr. Kalmet Kaltabang - Markets are Australia, Germany, France, England and USA - Total number of ornamental fish exports for 2009 was ~ 17,000 fish The main fish exported are Angels, Wrasses, Anthias, Damsels and Tangs SRS also exports invertebrates such as starfish and anemones Reef Life also grows and exports clams T. squamosa and T. maxima Fish are held in captivity after capture, as immediate export results in higher mortality. Malachite green and copper sulphate are added to the sea water to avoid infection with pathogens. SRS also add Nitrofurazone as a prophylactic antibiotic to minimize skin infections as a result of handling. Overcrowding of fish in holding tanks increases the incidence of disease. Upon three years of regular veterinary inspection no disease issues have arisen and the observed mortality is of an acceptable level. 3
Reef Life Net Collection ORNAMENTAL MARINE FISH EXPORT INDUSTRY COMMENTS AND CONCERNS Provides regular income for custom reef owners Is s this income fair relative to the profits earned? Provides employment for divers and other staff Many divers with SRS are in fact Filipino nationals. Limited collection grounds mean income flows to only a few reef owners Other sites on other islands should be negotiated by Department of Fisheries as SRS and Reef Life have failed to negotiate any new collection sites. Possibility of target stock depletion Dept. of Fisheries to monitor and report on state of collection sites more frequently. Family/village disputes due to conflict over title and custom ownership of reefs are possible. The industry receives poor press due to criticism by the tourism industry over (allegedly) depleted numbers of targeted fish. 4
ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL VETERINARY SERVICES The national veterinary services are responsible for animal health The Ministry responsible for animal health and which includes the Veterinary Services is the Ministry of Agriculture, Quarantine, Forestry and Fisheries (MAQFF). Within that ministry are four departments, as listed below: Department of Agriculture Department Livestock and Quarantine Department of Forestry Department of Fisheries Responsibilities of the Livestock and Quarantine authority: The Livestock and Quarantine Department, which includes the veterinary services, is the government agency responsible for all aspects of animal quarantine, animal health, animal disease surveillance and control, veterinary public health, and import/export certification for animals and animal products. It is also responsible for livestock production, and general quarantine, including plant protection and exotic pest prevention and control. There are also animal health and livestock officers who have undertaken paraveterinary training and assist in disease surveillance and animal health matters. PLANNED RESTRUCTURING OF THE VANUATU LIVESTOCK AND QUARANTINE DEPARTMENT As of 31 st December 2011 the Livestock and Quarantine department will cease to exist as such. Quarantine (border control), plant health, meat inspection and extension services will become a separate corporate institution known as Biosecurity Vanuatu from the first of January 2011. The current livestock section will be set up into a fully fledged government department in 2011. 5
DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING SENTINEL FARMS Sentinel farms form part of an active surveillance system in the detection of disease presence in the national livestock herd. The aim is for 25 properties to be visited two times per year with a herd health history to be recorded. 3 Plantation / Commercial farms - Efate, Santo and Malekula 22 Smallholders Other islands: North 12 farms: Banks 1 Torres 1 Santo 4 Maewo 1 Pentecost 1 Ambrym 1 Malekula 2 Ambae 1 South 10 farms: Epi 2 Emae 1 Efate 3 Tanna 2 Erromango 1 Aneityum 1 Sentinel farm owners must supply VLQD staff with property details regarding livestock numbers and health status of the herd. These farms should have well constructed stockyards, be close to common points of entry/exit from the island and have a cooperative owner/manager. VLQD staff must record farm data onto property casing forms then enter farm details into the national database. An example of costs involved in surveillance programmes : ANIMAL HEALTH SURVEILLANCE BREAK DOWN for the NORTHERN REGION. Transport costs = 240,000 vatu Accommodation/subsistance = 360,000 vatu Airfares = 87,000 vatu TOTAL COST WILL BE 687,000 VATU DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING (CONT D) Livestock disease incidents and BVC vaccination records are collated and entered into a national database. The Department of Fisheries is the competent authority with respect to aquatic disease surveillance and reporting. An extension programme given by our staff to animal owners in the villages and on the farms. This programme is designed to make animal owners aware of signs of disease in their animals and to report to the government Animal Health Officers or Veterinary Officers. Laboratory backup comes from New Zealand or sometimes Australian laboratories There is a limited capacity for disease reporting due to the high cost of surveillance visits and current staffing levels. This forms a significant barrier to regular and consistent surveillance reporting. Additional livestock staff stationed on the larger islands would greatly assist livestock production, animal health issues and disease surveillance. This could also be said for the Department of Fisheries staff of aquaculture officers. 6
LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU The following legislation pertains to animal disease, importation and quarantine issues:- 1) Domestic animal disease control The Animal Disease (Control) Act No. 29 of 1992 and associated regulations, provides for the control of animal diseases and notification of any suspicious diseases. 2) Importation/exportation of animals and animal products The Animal Importation and Quarantine Act (CHAP 201) and associated regulations, provides for controls on the importation of animals and animal products. 3) Contingency plan for exotic animal diseases The Animal Disease (Control) Act No. 29 of 1992 and associated regulations, provides for the control of animal diseases and notification of suspicion of an exotic disease outbreak. A national manual is in place for Exotic Disease Response for potential serious diseases such as FMD and HPAI. LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU (CONT D) 4) Animal health and veterinary public health controls of production, processing, storage and transportation of animals and their products for export - The Meat Industry Act No. 5 of 1991 and associated regulations provides for the control of production, processing, storage and transportation of animals and their products for local production and export. 5) Animal health control of imported/exported animals, animal products, genetic materials, animal feed and other products - The Animal Importation and Quarantine Act and associated regulations provides for the control of the importation of animals, animal products, biologicals, animal feeds and genetic material. 6) Registration and use of veterinary drugs including vaccines - The Animal Importation and Quarantine Act and associated regulations includes requirements for the registration and control of the importation, sale and use of veterinary drugs. 7
Animal Disease (Control) Act Animal Disease (Control) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations [Cap 220] Commencement: 16 October 2000 Order 14 of 2000 Order 51 of 2003 To provide for the control over the movement of animals and animal products within the Republic of Vanuatu and to prescribe notifiable diseases and controlled diseases. SCHEDULE 1 - Notifiable Diseases The OIE listed diseases of mammals, birds, bees and aquatic animals as listed in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code and the Aquatic Animal Health Code published by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). SCHEDULE 2 - Controlled Diseases Bovine Brucellosis Vanuatu declared free of Brucellosis in 2003 Bovine Tuberculosis Vanuatu declared free of T.B. in 2003 Bovine Venereal Campylobacteriosis (BVC) Animal Importation and Quarantine Act An Act to make provisions for the regulation and control of the importation of animals, animal products and biological products into Vanuatu, and for matters connected therewith. RESTRICTION ON IMPORTATION OF ANIMALS, ANIMAL PRODUCTS ETC. 2. (1) No person shall import or introduce any animal, animal products, biological product or any related article to Vanuatu - (a) without a permit issued under this Act; or (b) in contravention of the provisions of this Act or any regulations made there under. ( 2) The Minister may by regulation exempt from the provisions of subsection (1) any animal product, biological product or related article specified in such regulation. ANIMAL, ANIMAL PRODUCTS ETC., TO BE IMPORTED AT PRESCRIBED PORTS 3. Subject to the provisions of this Act, no animal, animal product, biological product or any related article shall be imported or introduced into Vanuatu, other than at a port prescribed by the Ministers. PROVISIONAL IMPORT PERMIT 4. (1) Any person who intends to import or introduce into Vanuatu any animal, animal product, biological product or related article shall make an application to the principal veterinary officer, in the prescribed form. (2) The principal veterinary officer may upon receipt of an application, grant or authorise the granting of a provisional import permit according to the regulations made by the Minister, and subject to such prescribed conditions as he may specify in such permit or may refuse the grant of such permit. (3) When the grant of a permit is refused under subsection (2) the principal veterinary officer shall notify the applicant of such refusal and the reasons for such refusal. 8
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