OATA has launched a risk assessment tool and new guide to help businesses improve their biosecurity, as part of Invasive Species Week 2023.

The trade association has revamped and improved its guidance document on biosecurity, making it an easier read with information on how to look at ways to stop the spread of disease and invasive species within businesses.

Accompanying the guide is a simple-to-use Risk Assessment Tool that enables businesses to examine their approach to biosecurity and get advice on areas that need improvement, which the new document will then help them to achieve.

“Our industry deals in a wide range of non-native species so we need to play our part in ensuring good biosecurity knowledge among businesses to help them operate to high standards,” explained OATA Chief Executive Dominic Whitmee.

“Invasive Species Week is an excellent time to relaunch our guidance and risk assessment tool to help keep disease and invasive species out of aquatic businesses.”

The guide offers advice on the common elements to consider when looking at the biosecurity risk in a business, including using trusted suppliers with good biosecurity measures, quarantining stock, designing the right systems to support good biosecurity practices and selling responsibly, as well managing disease and invasive species and the relevant laws businesses need to know.

The Risk Assessment tool is a simple-to-use multiple-choice questionnaire covering the main topics in the guide, giving instant feedback on how businesses can make changes to improve their biosecurity practices.

“The guide offers a common-sense approach to get businesses thinking more about their current practices and enables them to improve what they already do. No business can eliminate all risk but small changes prompted by the assessment tool and guidance document will add up.

“Good biosecurity is good for business because it improves animal welfare, means they will lose less livestock and plays an important part in protecting native eco-systems so we hope businesses will find these free tools practical and useful.”

OATA worked with Fish Health Inspectorate and the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat on the guidance and risk assessment tool to ensure the incorporation of best practice.

Find the new Biosecurity and the ornamental aquatics industry guidance document and Risk Assessment Tool on the OATA website. https://ornamentalfish.org/what-we-do/set-standards/biosecurity/

Invasive Species Week runs until Sunday (May 21) and is organised by the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat.