[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38423-38424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18185]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6379-8]


Report on the Shrimp Virus Peer Review Workshop

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of a final report.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a final report of a 
peer review and risk assessment workshop on nonindigenous pathogenic 
shrimp viruses, which was held January 7-8, 1998. The report was 
sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National 
Center for Environmental Assessment, on behalf of the Joint 
Subcommittee on Aquaculture (JSA), under the National Science and 
Technology Council. Completed under contract to the EPA, the document, 
``Report on the Shrimp Virus Peer Review and Risk Assessment Workshop: 
Developing a Qualitative Risk Assessment'' (EPA/600/R-99/027), 
describes 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 have undergone 
an independent scientific review. The results of this independent 
review and the draft final report were used as the basis for a risk 
management workshop on shrimp viruses held on July 28-29, 1998, in New 
Orleans [see Federal Register 63(130)36895-36896 (July 8, 1998)].

ADDRESSES: An electronic version of the final report will be accessible 
on the EPA National Center for Environmental Assessment home page at 
http://www.epa.gov/ncea/ .
    A limited number of paper copies will be available from the EPA's 
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP), P.O. 
Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH 45242; telephone: 1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-
8190; facsimile: 513-489-8695. Please provide your name and mailing 
address and the

[[Page 38424]]

title and EPA number of the document, ``Report on the Shrimp Virus Peer 
Review and Risk Assessment Workshop: Developing a Qualitative Risk 
Assessment' (EPA/600/R-99/027).

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) 565-0090; 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 industry in U.S. coastal 
waters have been 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 tasked the Federal 
interagency Shrimp Virus Workgroup with assessing the shrimp virus 
problem. The JSA includes representatives of 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)). The Federal interagency 
Shrimp Virus Workgroup includes individuals from DOC/NMFS, EPA, FWS, 
and USDA/APHIS.
    Publication of this final report is one of 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 Waters' [JSA Shrimp Virus Report 
(JSVR)]. The JSVR was reviewed at four stakeholder meetings [see 
Federal Register 62(112):31790-31791 (June 11, 1997)], jointly 
sponsored by EPA, DOC/NMFS, and USDA/APHIS on behalf of the JSA, during 
July and August 1997. Available products of these efforts include the 
JSVR (see http://www.nmfs.gov/trade/special.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 several potential pathways of nonindigenous pathogenic 
shrimp viruses 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.
    As described in the report, workshop participants concluded 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, many participants 
believed that local populations of shrimp would recover rapidly as a 
result of reintroduction of shrimp or increases in reproduction. 
Although there was high uncertainty, most workshop participants 
believed that the risks from viral introductions to the entire 
population of native shrimp in U.S. coastal waters is relatively low. 
Limitations in time and information during the workshop prevented the 
participants from fully considering impacts to organisms besides 
shrimp, although they believed these organisms deserved further 
consideration.
    Finally, while qualitative evaluations are valuable, workshop 
participants noted that they are associated with a great deal of 
uncertainty. However, given the limited information currently 
available, participants believed that 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 were used as the basis 
for a risk management workshop on shrimp viruses held on July 28-29, 
1998, in New Orleans. A report of the risk management workshop (jointly 
sponsored by the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, DOC/NMFS, and DOA/CREES/
ARS) that develops options and strategies for managing the threat of 
shrimp viruses to cultured and wild stocks of shrimp in U.S. coastal 
waters is currently being developed.

    Dated: June 21, 1999.
William H. Farland,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 99-18185 Filed 7-15-99; 8:45 am]
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