3850-PM-BCW0008f
Module 3
12/2015
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
BUREAU OF CLEAN WATER
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
APPLICATION FOR INDIVIDUAL PERMIT TO DISCHARGE
INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER
MODULE 3 – AQUATIC ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES
1. Applicant/Operator Name:
2. Project the number of operating days for the facility on a monthly basis throughout the calendar year:
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
# Days
3. List the species of fish produced at the facility and projected yearly (gross) maximum harvestable weight in pounds produced
(contained, grown or held) over the next five years.
Species
Year 1
(Total lbs)
Warm or Cold
Water
Year 2
(Total lbs)
Year 3
(Total lbs)
Year 4
(Total lbs)
Year 5
(Total lbs)
Totals:
4. Project the feed usage in the next five years in pounds (lbs):
Pounds Per Month
Pounds Per Year
AVERAGE
MAXIMUM
5. Identify all drugs and chemicals used for animal health and water quality at the facility. Include drugs or chemicals anticipated in
the future. Attach MSDS sheets or product labels for each.
Name of Drug or
Chemical
Location
Introduced
Purpose
Frequency of
Use
Maximum Daily
Usage
Units
(lbs or gal/day)
6. Describe the source(s) of water (influent) to the facility and how these sources are conveyed to production areas.
7. Describe equipment, structures and/or processes used at the site to prevent or minimize the discharge of pollutants.
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3850-PM-BCW0008f 12/2015
Module 3 Instructions
Applicant Name:
8. Describe methods utilized for removing solids from the facility and managing those solids once removed.
9. Indicate the calendar month of maximum feeding and the total mass of food fed during the month of maximum feeding.
10. BMP Plan – A BMP Plan must be attached (see Instructions to Module 3).
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3850-PM-BCW0008f 12/2015
Module 3 Instructions
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
BUREAU OF CLEAN WATER
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
APPLICATION FOR INDIVIDUAL PERMIT TO DISCHARGE
INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODULE 3 – AQUATIC ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES
All persons who own or operate Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production (CAAP) facilities that discharge pollutants
into surface waters of the Commonwealth are required to have the discharges authorized by an NPDES permit.
A hatchery, fish farm or other facility is defined as a CAAP facility by 40 CFR Part 122, Appendix C if it: (1) contains,
grows or holds fish in raceways, ponds and other similar structures; (2) discharges pollutants to surface waters
during at least thirty (30) days per year; and (3) meets any of these criteria for production or feeding: (A) produces
20,000 pounds or more of cold water aquatic animals per year or feeds 5,000 pounds or more of food in the calendar
month of maximum feeding, or (B) produces more than 100,000 pounds of warm water aquatic animals per year.
DEP may designate any aquatic animal production facility as a CAAP facility and require NPDES permit coverage
upon determining that it is a discharger of pollutants to waters of the Commonwealth. In making this designation,
DEP shall consider the following factors in accordance with 40 CFR 122.24(c):

The location and quality of the receiving waters of the Commonwealth;

The holding, feeding and production capacities of the facility;

The quantity and nature of the pollutants reaching waters of the Commonwealth; and

Other relevant factors.
In addition, DEP may require any facility to obtain a permit per its authority under Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Law
if it makes a finding that the facility is discharging pollutants to waters of the Commonwealth. The term “aquatic
animal production facility” as used in this application is inclusive of CAAP and non-CAAP facilities that are required to
obtain permit coverage.
New and existing aquatic animal production facilities applying for an individual NPDES permit must complete
Module 3.
Attach the completed Module 3 form to the industrial wastewater permit application
(3800-PM-BCW0008b) for all outfalls that receive aquatic animal production facility discharges, in whole or in part
(combined with other wastewaters). NOTE – aquatic animal production facilities must, at a minimum, provide the
results of at least three samples for Group 1 pollutants and report the results on the Analysis Results Tables of the
industrial wastewater permit application.
1. Identify the applicant or operator name, as reported on page 1 of the industrial wastewater permit application.
2. Operating Days. Indicate the expected number of operating days for each calendar month, on average, over
the next five years.
3. Species and Weights. List the species of fish produced at the facility and whether the species are warm or cold
water species. If scientific names are used, indicate the common name in parentheses. For each species,
include projected yearly gross harvestable weight in pounds produced (contained, grown or held) over the next
five years, based on historical operations, planned changes and/or design capacity. Calculate the total annual
projected weight at the bottom of the table. If there are more species produced at the facility than space allows,
attach an additional sheet.
4. Feed. Estimate the feed usage in the next five years, in pounds (lbs). Estimate the average and maximum
pounds of feed per month and year.
5. Drugs and Chemicals. Identify all drugs and chemicals used for animal health and water quality at the facility.
Include drugs or chemicals anticipated in the future. The list should include any disinfectants used at the facility.
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3850-PM-BCW0008f 12/2015
Module 3 Instructions
Applicant Name:
Attach MSDS sheets or, if an MSDS is not available, copies of product labels for each. NOTE – Do not report
drugs and chemicals used for animal health and water quality in the Chemical Additives section of the industrial
wastewater permit application (3800-PM-BCW0008b) for aquatic animal production facilities, but instead on
Module 3.
Report the drug or chemical name, the location within the facility where it is introduced (e.g., raceways, settling
basins, etc.), the intended use or purpose of the drug or chemical (e.g., disease prevention, solids settling, etc.),
the frequency of use (e.g., daily, weekly, 2/month, etc.), the anticipated maximum daily usage and the units
associated with the usage (e.g., 2 lbs/day, 4 gal/day). For drugs or chemicals introduced less frequently than
daily, record the maximum daily amount that the applicant believes would be used on any day.
6. Source Water. Describe how the influent source water reaches the production area. Describe any equipment
that is used such as pumps to convey water to production. Identify the number of sources and other relevant
information such as the type of source (e.g., spring, pond, etc.).
7. Pollution Prevention. Describe equipment, structures and/or processes used at the site to prevent or minimize
the discharge of pollutants. Describe for example settling zones within raceways where fish are excluded,
settling ponds, filters, chemicals added to improve the quality of the discharge, etc.
8. Solids Management. Describe methods for removing solids from the facility, including frequency of removal,
and methods for managing those solids once removed (e.g., on-site composting, land application, off-site
disposal, etc.).
9. Feeding. Indicate the calendar month of maximum feeding and the total mass of food fed during the month of
maximum feeding.
BMP Plan. Attach a Best Management Practices (BMP) Plan to Module 3. The BMP Plan must be signed by
the manager responsible for facility operations. The following provides a list of minimum required BMPs for
aquatic animal production facilities. The BMP Plan must document how implementation of these BMPs will be
achieved.
A. All Facilities
1. Non-Native Species – Measures must be taken to prevent the escape of non-native species to the
receiving waters. The BMP Plan must include a schedule for preventative maintenance and inspection
of the containment system, escape recovery protocols, and fish transfer procedures during stocking and
grading.
2. Agricultural Waste Management – Agricultural waste material (manure) removed from the facility must be
disposed of or utilized in accordance with applicable Pennsylvania law and regulations. If land
application of manure is utilized, management must be done in accordance with DEP’s Manure
Management for Environmental Protection (361-0300-001) and Land Application of Manure
(361-0300-002). The BMP Plan shall identify the location(s) of disposal or land application, land
application rates, and methods for determining land application rates, including the Nitrogen and
Phosphorus content of the manure. If land application is used, include a map identifying the location(s)
and delineating the field boundaries.
3. Training
a. In order to ensure the proper clean-up and disposal of spilled material adequately train all relevant
facility personnel in spill prevention and how to respond in the event of a spill.
b. Train staff on the proper operation and cleaning of production and wastewater treatment systems
including training in feeding procedures and proper use of equipment.
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3850-PM-BCW0008f 12/2015
Module 3 Instructions
Applicant Name:
B. Flow-Through and Recirculating Systems
1. Solids Control
a. Employ efficient feed management and feeding strategies that limit feed input to the minimum
amount reasonably necessary to achieve production goals and sustain targeted rates of aquatic
animal growth in order to minimize potential discharges of uneaten feed and waste products to
waters of the Commonwealth.
b. In order to minimize the discharge of accumulated solids from settling ponds and basins and
production systems, identify and implement procedures for routine cleaning of rearing units and offline settling basins, and procedures to minimize any discharge of accumulated solids during the
inventorying, grading and harvesting aquatic animals in the production system.
c.
Remove and dispose of aquatic animal mortalities properly on a regular basis to prevent discharge to
waters of the Commonwealth.
2. Materials Storage
a. Ensure proper storage of drugs, pesticides, and feed in a manner designed to prevent spills that may
result in the discharge of drugs, pesticides or feed to waters of the Commonwealth.
b. Implement procedures for properly containing, cleaning, and disposing of any spilled material.
3. Structural Maintenance
a. Inspect the production system and the wastewater treatment system on a routine basis in order to
identify and promptly repair any damage.
b. Conduct regular maintenance of the production system and the wastewater treatment system in
order to ensure that they are properly functioning.
4. Recordkeeping
a. In order to calculate representative feed conversion ratios, maintain records for aquatic animal
rearing units documenting the feed amounts and estimates of the numbers and weight of aquatic
animals.
b. Keep records documenting the frequency of cleaning, inspections, maintenance and repairs.
C. Net Pen Systems
1. Feed Management – Employ efficient feed management and feeding strategies that limit feed input to
the minimum amount reasonably necessary to achieve production goals and sustain targeted rates of
aquatic animal growth. These strategies must minimize the accumulation of uneaten food beneath the
pens through the use of active feed monitoring and management practices. These practices may include
one or more of the following: Use of real-time feed monitoring, including devices such as video cameras,
digital scanning sonar, and upweller systems; monitoring of sediment quality beneath the pens;
monitoring of benthic community quality beneath the pens; capture of waste feed and feces; or other
good husbandry practices approved by the permitting authority.
2. Waste Collection and Disposal – Collect, return to shore, and properly dispose of all feed bags,
packaging materials, waste rope and netting.
3. Transport or Harvest Discharge – Minimize any discharge associated with the transport or harvesting of
aquatic animals including blood, viscera, aquatic animal carcasses, or transport water containing blood.
4. Carcass Removal – Remove and dispose of aquatic animal mortalities properly on a regular basis to
prevent discharge to waters of the Commonwealth.
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3850-PM-BCW0008f 12/2015
Module 3 Instructions
Applicant Name:
5. Materials Storage
a. Ensure proper storage of drugs, pesticides and feed in a manner designed to prevent spills that may
result in the discharge of drugs, pesticides or feed to waters of the Commonwealth.
b. Implement procedures for properly containing, cleaning, and disposing of any spilled material.
6. Maintenance
a. Inspect the production system on a routine basis in order to identify and promptly repair any damage.
b. Conduct regular maintenance of the production system in order to ensure that it is properly
functioning.
7. Recordkeeping
a. In order to calculate representative feed conversion ratios, maintain records for aquatic animal net
pens documenting the feed amounts and estimates of the numbers and weight of aquatic animals.
b. Keep records of the net changes, inspections and repairs.
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