Comprehensive Aquaculture Health Program Standards (CAHPS) - Dr. Kathleen Hartman - USAS Webinar

Managing the health of farmed aquatic livestock is an important aspect of any aquaculture business. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS), in collaboration with the National Aquaculture Association (NAA) with have developed a framework for aquatic livestock health inspection and verification. CAHPS is based on the fundamentals of early detection, targeted surveillance, and risk-based biosecurity practices to ensure livestock health and provide confidence that the health status of the livestock is accurate and protected. Participants in CAHPS develop their own livestock health and biosecurity plans based on the needs or requirements for live animal movement, trade, or marketing. CAHPS is a voluntary health improvement program designed to help farmers reduce the burden of repeated health testing and ensure biosecurity practices are adequate to prevent the introduction of unwanted pathogens.
Kathleen Hartman is a senior staff veterinary medical officer with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Aquatic Animal Health Commodity Center. She received a master’s from the University of Maryland, College Park (fish nutrition) and both a DVM and Ph.D. (aquatic animal pharmacokinetics) from Virginia Tech. She has served on the Professional Standards, Technical Standards and the HROC Committees of the American Fisheries Society-Fish Health Section and was a certified AFS FHS Fish Health Inspector. She has served on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) aquatic animal medicine committee and food safety committee for multiple terms. She is a current member of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) and is a Past President of the U.S. Aquaculture Society (USAS).