All substances that fit the definition of agricultural and veterinary chemicals under the Chemical and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 must be registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority before they can be supplied, sold or used in Australia.   In addition, any produce derived from livestock that has been treated with such substances must comply with Maximum Residue Limits as specified in Part 14 a of the ANZFA Food Code.

This project was preceded by Project 96/314  “Registration of Aquaculture Chemicals”, which was conducted to identify the most appropriate and industry-accepted drugs and chemicals for each sector of the aquaculture industry, to maximize the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the registration processes, and to establish registration of key drugs.    This project was designed to establish a system that will serve the ongoing needs of the aquaculture industries.

The minor use system developed by CPA Research for horticulture was used as a model for an aquaculture-specific system in which industry sectors identify and prioritise their needs for veterinary chemical products and pass them to an appointed consultant co-ordinator.  The individual items are analysed by the consultant in terms of the availability of alternatives, environmental considerations etc. and, where possible, combined with similar requests from other industries.  The data requirements for a registration/permit are determined in consultation with the APVMA, and the items are costed and passed back through NAC in the form of proposals for funding. 

Ongoing maintenance of the system would be contracted by the NAC to a suitable consultant.   

Pilot projects included the consolidation of existing and expired permits for formalin into a single permit for aquaculture industries, permits for hydrogen peroxide and for benzalkonium chloride.
The system is not yet fully operational, because issues in regard to ongoing funding through NAC are still being resolved.   Questions regarding intellectual property and the legal liability for misuse are being considered by the NAC.  The NAC also has yet to resolve issues concerning administration of the chemical registration process in regard to cost recovery.