Requirement for approved aquaculture establishments and groups thereof to participate in a risk-based surveillance scheme
Article 6
1. The competent authority shall only approve aquaculture establishments referred to in Articles 7, 17 and 18 of this Regulation if the operators comply with risk-based surveillance conducted by the competent authority in accordance with Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, in the form of a risk-based surveillance scheme as set out in Part 1 and in point 1 of Part 2 of Annex II to this Regulation. 2. The competent authority shall only approve groups of aquaculture establishments referred to in Article 8 of this Regulation when operators comply with risk based surveillance conducted by the competent authority in accordance with Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, in the form of a risk- based surveillance scheme as set out in Part 1 and in point 2 of Part 2 of Annex II to this Regulation. 3. When granting approval of aquaculture establishments or groups thereof as provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authority shall take account of the following elements, and include them in the risk-based surveillance scheme: (a) the outcome of the surveillance conducted by the operator in accordance with Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429; (b) the information obtained through the animal health visits carried out by a veterinarian in accordance with Article 25 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, when the operators make such information available.