Aquatic veterinary practice in U.S. waters outside state jurisdiction

The practice of veterinary medicine is required for the health and welfare of aquatic animals in U.S. waters outside of state jurisdiction. Throughout the U.S., involvement of veterinarians is required for diagnosing, prescribing, issuing veterinary feed directives, state and international health certificates or certificates of veterinary inspection, and other acts of veterinary practice. For these reasons, the AVMA holds that licensed and federally accredited veterinarians must be utilized in aquaculture systems within U.S. waters outside of state jurisdiction.

The AVMA recommends the criteria for veterinarians to practice veterinary medicine in these waters consist of three components:

1. The veterinarian is licensed and in good standing to practice veterinary medicine in at least one state/territory/federal district within the U.S.
2. The veterinarian holds USDA-APHIS category II veterinary accreditation.
3. The veterinarian has a veterinarian-client-patient relationship with the facility in which they are practicing veterinary medicine as defined by the FDA.

Furthermore, AVMA recommends that USDA-APHIS-VS be the lead agency for aquatic animal health oversight for commercially cultured aquatic animals in waters outside state jurisdiction.