Guidelines for the Use of Fishes
in Research
American Fisheries Society
American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Use of Fishes in Research Committee members:
J. A. Jenkins, Chair, H. L. Bart, Jr., J. D. Bowker, P. R. Bowser, J. R. MacMillan, J. G. Nickum, J. D. Rose, P. W. Sorensen, and G. W. Whitledge on behalf of the American Fisheries Society; J. W. Rachlin and B. E. Warkentine on behalf of the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists; and H. L. Bart on behalf of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
June 2014
Suggested citation:
Use of Fishes in Research Committee (joint committee of the American Fisheries Society, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists). 2014. Guidelines for the use of fishes in research. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
Copyright 2014 by the American Fisheries Society
American Fisheries Society
Jill A. Jenkins
National Wetlands Research Center
U.S. Geological Survey
Lafayette, LA 70506
jenkinsj@usgs.gov
Paul R. Bowser
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-6401
prb4@cornell.edu
James D. Bowker
Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Bozeman, MT 59715
jim_bowker@fws.gov
J. Randy MacMillan
Vice President
Clear Springs Foods, Inc.
Buhl, ID 83316
randy.macmillan@clearsprings.com
John G. Nickum
Nickum and Nickum
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268-2742
jgnickum@hotmail.com
James D. Rose
Professor Emeritus
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY 82071
trout@uwyo.edu
Peter W. Sorensen
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108
soren003@umn.edu
Greg W. Whitledge
Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901
gwhit@siu.edu
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists–AFS Liaison
Henry L. Bart, Jr.
Biodiversity Research Institute
Tulane University
Belle Chasse, LA 70037
hbartjr@tulane.edu
American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists–AFS Liaisons
Joseph W. Rachlin
Laboratory for Marine and Estuarine Research
Department of Biological Sciences
Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY 10468-1589
joseph.rachlin@lehman.cuny.edu
Barbara E. Warkentine
Science Department
Maritime College
State University of New York
Bronx, NY 10465-4198
synodus@aol.com
Use of Fishes in Research Committee, 2014 2
Table of Contents 4
Preface 5
Acknowledgments 7
Statement of Purpose 8
1. Introduction 10
2. General Considerations 11
2.1 Approval of Research Plans by IACUCs 12
2.2 Project Quality Assurance Plans and Standard Operating Procedures 13
2.3 Statistical Design 14
2.4 Mortality as an Experimental Endpoint 15
2.5 Fish Health Management: Control of Pathogens and Parasites 15
3. Statutory Requirements and Regulatory Bodies 17
3.1 International Regulations and Guidelines 18
3.2 Biosecurity 20
3.3 Federal, State, and Local Regulations 22
3.4 Permits and Certificates 23
4. Animal Welfare Considerations 25
4.1 General Considerations 25
4.2 Stress 25
4.2.1 Stages of Stress 26
4.2.2 Measuring and Avoiding Stress 26
4.3 Nociception and Pain 28
5. Field Activities 31
5.1 Habitat and Population Considerations 31
5.2 Field Collections 32
5.2.1 Permits 32
5.2.2 Natural History Collections 32
5.2.3 Representative Samples 33
5.2.4 Collection of Imperiled Species 34
5.2.5 Museum Specimens and Other Preserved Specimens 35
5.3 Live Capture Techniques and Equipment 36
5.4 Field Restraint of Fishes: Sedatives 37
5.4.1 Drugs Approved for Use on Fish 38
5.4.2 Low Regulatory Priority (LRP) Drugs 38
5.4.3 Investigational New Animal Drugs (INAD) 38
5.5 Dangerous Species and Specimens 39
5.6 Handling and Transport 40
5.7 Facilities for Temporary Holding and Maintenance 41
5.8 Field Acclimation 42
5.9 Collection of Blood and Other Tissues 43
6. Marking and Tagging 44
6.1 General Principles 44
6.2 External Tags and Marks 45
6.3 Internal Tags and Marks, and Biotelemetry 46
6.4 Genetic Markers 48
6.5 Stable Isotopes 49
6.6 Fatty Acids 50
7. Laboratory Activities 50
7.1 General Principles 50
7.2 Confinement, Isolation, and Quarantine 51
7.3 Acclimation to Laboratory Conditions 53
7.4 Facilities for Long-Term Housing of Fishes 54
7.5 Density of Animals 55
7.6 Feeds and Feeding 56
7.7 Water Quality 57
7.8 Water Recirculation Units 58
7.9 Effluents and Permits 59
7.10 Dangerous Species and Specimens in Captivity 60
7.11 Restraint of Fishes: Sedatives and Related Chemicals 60
7.12 Surgical Procedures 61
7.13 Administration of Drugs, Biologics, and Other Chemicals 64
7.13.1 Drugs 64
7.13.2 Biologics and Other Chemicals 65
7.13.3 Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) 65
8. Final Disposition of Experimental Animals 66
8.1 Euthanasia 66
8.2 Storage or Return to Aquatic Habitat 67
9. Future Revisions 68
10. Literature Cited 69
Appendix 91
Brief Checklist for IACUC Readiness 91
List of Low Regulatory Priority Drugs and Consideration for Their Use 92
Appendix Table 1. Low regulatory priority aquaculture drugs, indications, and doses. 93
Appendix Table 2. OIE-notifiable causative disease agents for fish and amphibians. 94
Index of Terms and Acronyms 95
Note on Additional Readings 95