Seafood Standard Progress Note 1 (May 2003)
Background
FSANZ is currently developing a nationally enforceable standard for the primary production and processing of seafood. This process involves the input of stakeholder advice through the Seafood Standards Development Committee (SDC), an expert advisory group comprising representatives from industry, consumer, government and research organisations.
The proposed standard for seafood is aimed at protecting public health and safety along the entire seafood production and supply chain. It will be supported by interpretive guidelines, to assist the seafood industry by providing guidance on how to produce safe seafood, and will serve to build consumer confidence in seafood safety.
An Issues Paper on the development of the Seafood Standard (Proposal P265) was released for public comment by FSANZ in December 2002. The public comments received will assist FSANZ in preparing the Draft Assessment Report for a primary production and processing standard for seafood.
Recent progress
A second meeting of the Seafood SDC was held in Melbourne on 24-25 March 2003. The meeting considered twenty-five public submissions received in response to the Issues Paper. The public submissions generally supported the view that the majority of seafood posed only a low public health and safety risk. Submitters endorsed the principle of having a minimal effective regulatory framework for the seafood industry, with more stringent risk management practices applied to those areas presenting a significant risk to public health and safety.
The Seafood SDC reached broad agreement on the scope of the proposed Seafood Standard and on the principles that it will:
- apply across the food chain (from harvest/capture to the point of retail sale);
- be outcomes-based;
- not duplicate existing provisions;
- apply to imports and domestic production and processing; and
- apply food safety measures commensurate with the level of public health risk.
Where to from here?
FSANZ and the Seafood SDC will now consider a range of regulatory options discussed at the March meeting in greater detail, particularly in regard to their potential impact on the seafood industry, and will develop a Draft Assessment Report, which will be released for public comment late in 2003. The Draft Assessment Report will examine available options and their regulatory impact and will recommend a preferred regulatory option.
A parallel process of consultation with industry, consumer and regulatory stakeholders will occur during the development of the Draft Assessment. This will take the form of public meetings and communication through a range of industry and stakeholder publications and media.
Where can I obtain further information?
Updates will be provided to stakeholders and consumers by FSANZ via the following sources:
- FSANZ website, subscriber database, Food Standards News, and Fact Sheets;
- Published news articles in major seafood industry publications; and
- Seafood Standard Contact List by State/Territory
May 2003