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If you breed, keep or rear fish, you are obliged to have your business registered or approved by your competent veterinary office without being asked.
"Aquaculture" is the rearing of aquatic animals for human consumption, whereby the animals remain the property of a natural or legal person throughout the entire rearing or husbandry process, including harvesting, with the exception of the harvesting or capture of wild aquatic animals, which are then kept temporarily without feeding until slaughter.
The following aquaculture businesses, among others, require approval from the competent veterinary office:
The application for approval must contain the following information
All other aquaculture businesses are generally required to register.
You must apply to the responsible Office for Food, Agriculture and Forestry (AELF) for the issue of a company number with the company type "fish farmer". Fish farmers who already have a 12-digit number, for example because they are also the operator of a farm or other livestock owner, must also register with the AELF and have the "fish farmer" farm type assigned to them. The application for approval or registration can only be submitted once this farm number has been assigned.
An aquaculture business must be approved or registered before commencing the respective activity.
The Fish Disease Ordinance does not apply
The operation of aquaculture without an official permit or without registration is subject to a fine.