The aquaculture laboratory offers fish health screening, inspection, certification testing, and diagnostic services for freshwater fish, including both aquaculture and ornamental species. We are the only laboratory in Arkansas that is approved by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), as well as accredited under ISO-17025 standards.

The fish health certification program assists both in-state and out-of-state fish farmers with their needs to meet health regulations for national and international trade. To meet the certification standards, under Circular 21 of the Commercial Bait and Ornamental Fish Act (A.C.A. 2-5-201), the laboratory conducts semi-annual farm-level fish health inspections for specific pathogens. These inspections are conducted using NAHLN and APHIS-approved protocols, and also target specific pathogens according to World Organization for Animal Health standards.

Regulatory Services

USDA-approved laboratory: Assays for aquatic animal export certification that have been certified by USDA-APHIS and NAHLN to conduct annual and bi-annual fish health inspections for international export health certification of aquaculture species. The lab complies with the guidelines set forth by the World Organization for Animal Health and the American Fisheries Society Fish Health Section Blue Book for all your health inspection testing needs.

The aquaculture laboratory offers aquatic health testing services for the following pathogens:

• Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV)
• Koi herpesvirus (KHV)
• Aphanomyces invadans (EUS)
• Red Sea bream iridovirus (RSIV)
• Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV)
• Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV)

Forms and Resources:

• Chain of Custody and Sample Submission Form
• Instructions for fish inspection sample collection (veterinarian or fish collector)

Diagnostic Services

Services offered include water chemistry testing, water biological/bloom evaluations, and tests to determine the presence of parasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Forms and Resources:

• Diagnostic Sample Submission Form
• Instructions for diagnostic sample collection

Please contact the lab before preparing fish for delivery or shipment.

The lab is accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation for the activities listed on A2LA Scope of Accreditation 4109.01, which is in compliance with the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005. See the Arkansas VDL scope of accreditation here.

Please contact us to schedule your inspection/diagnostic services!

Dr. Nilima N. Renukdas
1 Natural Resources Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 823-1730 | (501) 757-0005
Email: nilima.renudkas@agriculture.arkansas.gov