[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 137 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38646-38647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19248]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6126-2]


Report on the Shrimp Virus Peer Review Workshop

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft final report.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of a draft final 
report of a peer review and risk assessment workshop, sponsored by the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Center for 
Environmental Assessment, on behalf of the Joint Subcommittee on 
Aquaculture (JSA), National Science and Technology Council, held 
January 7-8, 1998. The report entitled, ``Report on the Shrimp Virus 
Peer Review and Risk Assessment Workshop: Developing a Qualitative Risk 
Assessment'' (EPA/630/R-98/001A), was completed under contract to the 
EPA. It develops a qualitative ecological risk assessment describing 
the potential risks of nonindigenous pathogenic shrimp viruses on wild 
shrimp populations in U.S. coastal waters. Expert conclusions and 
recommendations contained in the report are currently undergoing an 
independent scientific review. The results of this independent review 
and the draft final report will be used as the basis for a risk 
management workshop on shrimp viruses scheduled for July 28-29, 1998 in 
New Orleans (see 63 FR 36895-36896 (July 8, 1998)).

DATES: The report will be available on or about July 24, 1998.

ADDRESSES: An electronic version of the draft final report will be 
accessible on the EPA National Center for Environmental Assessment home 
page at http://www.epa.gov/ncea/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. H. Kay Austin, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Center 
for Environmental Assessment (8601D), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20460; telephone (202) 564-3328; fax: (202) 565-0066; e-mail 
[email protected]. For technical assistance contact Dr. Tom McIlwain, 
Chairperson of the JSA Shrimp Virus Work Group, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 3209 Frederick Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567, (601) 
762-4591.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public concerns over the potential 
introduction and spread of nonindigenous pathogenic shrimp viruses to 
the wild shrimp fishery and shrimp aquaculture

[[Page 38647]]

industry in U.S. coastal waters are increasing. Although these viruses 
pose no threat to human health, outbreaks on U.S. shrimp farms, the 
appearance of diseased shrimp in U.S. commerce, and new information on 
the susceptibility of shrimp and other crustaceans to these viruses 
prompted calls for action. In response, the JSA (representing Federal 
organizations including the U.S. Department of Commerce, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries 
Service (DOC/NOAA/NMFS); the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (DOA/
CREES); Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (DOA/APHIS); and 
Agricultural Research Service (DOA/ARS); U.S. Department of Energy; 
U.S. Department of Defense; Army Corp of Engineers (DOD/ACE); U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration 
(HHS/FDA); Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); the EPA; and the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (FWS)) tasked the Federal interagency Shrimp Virus 
Workgroup (DOC/NMFS, EPA, FWS, and USDA/APHIS) with assessing the 
shrimp virus problem.
    Publication of this draft final report is another in a series of 
related activities sponsored by EPA, in cooperation with DOC/NMFS, 
USDA/APHIS, and FWS, on behalf of the JSA. In June 1997, the Shrimp 
Virus Workgroup summarized the available information on shrimp viruses 
in a report to the JSA entitled, ``An Evaluation of Potential Shrimp 
Virus Impacts on Cultured Shrimp and on Wild Shrimp Populations in the 
Gulf of Mexico and Southeastern U.S. Atlantic Coastal Water'' (JSA 
Shrimp Virus Report (JSVR)). The JSVR was reviewed at four stakeholder 
meetings (see 62 FR 31790-31791 (June 11, 1997)), jointly sponsored by 
EPA, DOC/NMFS, and USDA/APHIS on behalf of the JSA, during July 1997. 
Previous products of these efforts include the JSVR (see http://
kingfish.ssp.nmfs.gov/oit/oit.html) and the Minutes of the Stakeholder 
Meetings Report (EPA/630/R-92/001) (see http://www.epa.gov/ncea/pdfs/
shrimp5.pdf). These products and additional stakeholder (public) 
comments formed the basis for the shrimp virus peer review and risk 
assessment workshop. The workshop participants considered potential 
pathways to wild shrimp populations including shrimp aquaculture, 
shrimp processing and ``other'' sources and pathways, and independently 
assessed risks using a qualitative risk assessment approach developed 
by the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
    The workshop report concludes that viruses could survive in 
pathways leading to coastal environments, and that there is potential 
for viruses to affect native shrimp in localized areas, such as an 
estuary or bay. However, it concludes that local populations of shrimp 
would recover rapidly as a result of reintroduction of shrimp or 
increases in reproduction. Although there was high uncertainty, the 
report concludes that the risks from viral introductions to the entire 
population of native shrimp in U.S. coastal waters is relatively low. 
Though limited by the time and information available, the report 
determines that impacts to organisms besides shrimp deserved further 
consideration.
    Finally, while qualitative evaluations are valuable, the report 
concludes that they are associated with a great deal of uncertainty. 
Therefore, given the limited information currently available, it is not 
feasible to conduct a more comprehensive, quantitative assessment of 
the risks associated with nonindigenous pathogenic shrimp viruses at 
this time. Participants noted that there is a need to conduct further 
systematic research efforts to reduce uncertainty.
    The workshop report, and the results of the independent scientific 
review of its conclusions and recommendations, will be used as the 
basis for a risk management workshop on shrimp viruses scheduled for 
July 28-29, 1998, in New Orleans. This workshop, jointly sponsored by 
the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, DOC/NMFS, and DOA/CREES/ARS, will 
develop options and strategies for managing the threat of shrimp 
viruses to cultured and wild stocks of shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico and 
southeastern U.S. Atlantic coastal waters. Persons interested in 
attending the upcoming risk management workshop should contact William 
D. Holland, Gulf of Mexico Program Office, Building 1103, Room 202, 
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000; telephone: (228) 688-3726; fax: 
(228) 688-2709; e-mail:[email protected].

    Dated: July 10, 1998.
William H. Farland,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 98-19248 Filed 7-16-98; 8:45 am]
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