Federal agencies in the United States have announced plans to create a new fish traceability programme as way of reducing seafood fraud and illegal fishing.
The announcement was made by the National Ocean Council Committee and is a seen as a major step forward in combating issues, especially seafood fraud, which have dogged the US in recent years. It aims to trace the origins of imported seafood by establishing reporting and filing procedures for imported fish and fish products entering US . commerce
Kathryn D. Sullivan, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at the NOAA , said: Traceability is a key tool for combating illicit activities that threaten valuable natural resources, increase global food security risk and disadvantage law-abiding fishermen and seafood producers.
We are asking the seafood industry, trade and consumer sectors, our international partners and the conservation community to help guide us in creating an effective, efficient programme.
The proposed seafood traceability system will collect data about harvest, landing, and chain of custody of fish and fish products imported into the United States identified as particularly vulnerable to IUU fishing and fraud.
Similar information for domestically harvested seafood is already reported under numerous state and federal regulatory requirements. The proposal does not create any new reporting requirements for domestic landings of wild-caught seafood.
Catherine Novelli, under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment, said: This proposed rule is a critical first step in our efforts to create a comprehensive traceability program designed to prevent products from illegal and fraudulent fishing entering US . commerce, .
Starting with our discrete list of at-risk seafood species, we will create an effective program to protect against practices that undermine the sustainability of our shared ocean resources.
2016 FISHupdate