FAO.org

The European Union has one of the largest markets for fish in the world and fishermen involved in supplying this market, whether they are within the EU or outside it, are obliged to abide by two key pieces of food safety legislation that relate to the on board handling of fish and practices which promote a reduction in FLW:

• Regulation (EC) No 853 / 2004 (Annex III) on specific hygiene rules for animal products
• Regulation (EC) No 852 / 2004 (Annex I) on the hygiene of foodstuffs

These regulations have been used to influence the national legislation in many countries, particularly those exporting fish to the EU market. Key issues in this legislation are:

• Fishing vessels must be designed and constructed so as not cause contamination of fish
• Surfaces with which fishery products come into contact with must be corrosion resistant, smooth, easy to clear and disinfect
• Equipment and materials used for working on fishery product must be made of non-corrosion resistant and easy to clean
• Fish must be chilled as soon as possible

The US is another important market for seafood, and it operates an Imported Seafood Safety Program. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the safety of all fish and fishery products entering the United States. The agency uses various tools to identify immediate or potential threats as well as the best course of action to protect public health and safety. As part of the FDA’s import safety effort, the agency provides as much available information and guidance as possible to consumers, industry, and government about seafood safety. Fishing vessels are encouraged to minimize food safety hazards and this leads to practices which will minimize FLW.