International veterinary guidelines for the transport of live fish or fish eggs

There are two existing codes of practice and one draft proposal with guidelines for the transport of live fish and fish eggs. They provide information for national policies and a level of international standardization. Their efficacy depends, first on implementation by the national official services which tends to restrict fish movements, and second, on acceptance of these guidelines by those involved in the production and utilization of fish. Thus, a critical balance between theory and reality must be achieved if the goals of such international codes are to be realized.