Regulatory requirements in international fish and seafood
trade
Dr Lahsen Ababouch, ChiefFish Utilization and Marketing Service
Department of Fisheries and AquacultureThe United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization
Silver Spring, USA. May 2008
Million tonnes
Fisheries and aquaculture production (1951-2006)
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
140.0
160.0
1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Capture (marine waters) Capture (inland waters) Total aquaculture
World Fish Production
World
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
1975
2006
Aquaculture
Capture
China
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
1975
2006
Aquaculture
Capture
World minus China
0
10,000
20,00030,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,00080,000
90,000
100,000
1975
2006
Aquaculture
Capture
State of the Resources
State of the world fish stocks in 2004 (FAO, 2004)
3%
20%
52%
17%
7%
1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Under exploited
Moderately exploited
Fully exploited
Over exploited
Depleted
Recovering
Contribution to food-fish supply
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
mill
ion
tonn
es
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
AquacultureCaptureAQ share
Fish exports (1976–2005)
US$ billion
10
20
30
40
1976 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 2000 2002 2004
year
US$
bill
ion
Developed countries or areas Developing countries or areas
Contribution of fish to human diet (2003)
22.0
18.7
10.0
9.8
7.7
6.7
19.4
15.5
0 5 10 15 20 25
Asia
Africa
Europe
Oceania
North and Central America
South America
LIFDC's
WORLD
Fish as percentage of total animal protein intake
Imports
Japan 18%
USA 15%
Others7%Developing
countries18%
EU (25)40%
Exports
Japan 2%
EU (25)25%
Others20%
USA 5%
Developing countries
48%
World Fish Trade 2005 (by value)
Commodity breakdown (Trade)
8%
19%
8%
4%
12%3%3%1%
42%
TunaShrimpSalmonPelagicsDemersalsCephalopodsFishmealFish oilOthers
International regulatory Framework
Minimal Technical Obstacles to trade
Liberalization of tradeMaximal protection of
plant, animal and human health
Issue:Issue:
• GATT (1948, Article XXII:b)• Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO, 1962)• TBT Agreement (GATT, Tokyo Round, 1974-1979)• Code of Conduct For responsible fisheries (FAO, 1994.
Article 11)• FAO COFI and its two sub committees• SPS/TBT Agreements (WTO, 1995)• ISO 9000:2000 (QMS) and 22000:2005 (FSMS)• International Principles for Responsible Shrimp Farming,
2006• FAO Guidelines on Eco-labeling for wild capture fisheries• FAO Guidelines for Aquaculture Certification
International regulatory Framework
SPS/TBT Agreements
TBT measures can cover any subject related to industrial goods, from car safety to energy –saving devices to food packaging
SPS cover health (human, animal and plant) protection measuresThe TBT Agreement covers all technical
requirements, voluntary standards and the procedures (Conformity assessment procedures) to ensure that these are met, except when these are SPS measures as defined by the SPS Agreement
SPS SPS
vs.vs.
TBTTBT
SPS/TBT AgreementsGeneral Principles
• Sovereignty • Harmonization• Transparency• Equivalency• Scientific basis• Special and differential treatment• Technical Assistance • Consultation and dispute settlement
• Establishment, Recognition and Application of Common SPS Measures by Members
• Members shall base their measures on those developed by relevant international organizations (OIE, CAC, IPPC)
• Measures which conform to international standards are consistent with Agreement
• Members are to fully participate in the work of relevant international organizations
• WTO to monitor progress of international harmonization (SPS and TBT Committees)
Harmonization
World Trade Organisation
CODEXGuidelines,Standards
Codes of Practice
SPS/TBT and Codex
National Regulations
General Subject Committees
– General Principles (France)
– Import/Export Inspection and Certification Systems (Australia)
– Food Labeling (Canada)
– Methods of Analysis & Sampling (Hungary)
– Food Hygiene (USA)
– Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (USA)
– Pesticide Residues (Netherlands)
– Food Additives and Contaminants (Netherlands)
– Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (Germany)
Active Commodity Committees
– Fats and Oils (U. K.)
–– Fish and Fishery Products (Norway)Fish and Fishery Products (Norway)
– Milk and Milk Products (New Zealand)
– Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (Mexico)
– Cocoa Products & Chocolate (Switzerland)
– Natural Mineral Waters (Switzerland)
Thank you
Lahsen AbabouchChief, FIIU
Fish products and Industry DivisionDepartment of Fisheries and Aquaculture
The U.N Food and Agriculture OrganizationVia Delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy+390657054157+390657055188
Outputs relevant to Aquaculture
• Code of practice for food hygiene (GHP, HACCP, Risk assessment)
• Standards for fish and fishery products (Volume 9A)
• Code of practice for intensive aquaculture (GAP, HACCP)
• Several risk assessments (Vibrios in seafood, biotoxins, antimicrobial resistance)
• Several principles and guidelines for food import and export inspection and certification
• MRL for veterinary drugs
• Members shall accept other Member measures as equivalent, if final results are the same ( achieve same ALOP)
• Members shall consult to achieve bilateral and multilateral agreements (Mutual Recognition Agreements)
Equivalence
Scientifically based standards
• SPS measures are to be based on the assessment of risks to humans, animals or plants, using internationally accepted risk assessment techniques and taking into account the available scientific evidence
• SPS measures should minimize negative trade effects and arbitrary and unjustified measures should not be considered
Risk Communication(interactive exchange
ofinformation and ideas)
RiskAssessment
(“scientific”)•hazards•exposure•dose-response•synthesis•uncertainty
Risk Management
(“policy”)•social
•cultural•economicProcess
Initiation
The Risk Analysis Process
FAO/WHO/IOC Expert Consultation on Biotoxins
Background
• During the discussion of– the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products and – the Proposed Draft Standard for Live and Raw Bivalve Molluscs,
The CCFFP requested scientific advice on biotoxins to be addressed through an FAO/WHO/IOC Expert Consultaion to;
– Provide Scientific Advice for the Establishment of Safe Upper Limits;
– Provide guidance on the application of different methods of analysis concerning each toxin group;
– Monitoring and management of growing areas;
– Geographic Distribution of the biotoxins
Process
• March 04: Planning Workshop in Dublin, Ireland• April 04 : Call for Experts and Data• May – Sep 04: electronic drafting group • Sep 04: Expert Consultation – Oslo, Norway• Feb 05- 27th CCFFP (Cape Town, South Africa):
– presentation of the report– Establishment of an inter-sessions working group to
examine the EC report and prepare a discussion paper for the next CCFFP session
• April 05- Updated draft scientific monographs• April 2006: Meeting of the ISWG (Ottawa, Canada)• September 2006: Presentation at the 28th Session of
CCFFP
Certification in aquaculture
• Harmonization• Equivalence• Transparency• science-based• Definition of boundaries between private
and public sectors. Who is responsible for what?
Border cases in EU....Eu
rope
non
EU
Afric
aAs
iaAm
eric
aO
cean
ia
Euro
pe n
on E
UAf
rica
Asia
Amer
ica
Oce
ania
Euro
pe n
on E
UAf
rica
Asia
Amer
ica
Oce
ania
Euro
pe n
on E
UAf
rica
Asia
Amer
ica
Oce
ania
Euro
pe n
on E
UAf
rica
Asia
Amer
ica
Oce
ania
Euro
pe n
on E
UAf
rica
Asia
Amer
ica
Oce
ania
Euro
pe n
on E
UAf
rica
Asia
Amer
ica
Oce
ania
0
50
100
150
200
250
Num
ber o
f Ale
rts
Microbial
Chemical
Histamine
Parasites
Other Causes
1999 20002001
2002
20032004
2005
Chemical….
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005¹ Totals %
Cadmium 12 7 5 12 58 33 31 158 16,8 Chloramphenicol 44 102 9 8 163 17,4 Carbon monoxide 1 3 6 19 28 2,9 DSP 2 4 2 1 2 2 13 1,4 Lead 3 1 1 1 6 0,6 Mercury 14 11 11 19 19 26 22 122 13 Nitrofuran 89 51 27 20 187 20 PAH 3 11 9 23 2,5 Phenol 1 1 0,1 Residues 1 1 10 12 2 1 27 2,8 Sulphite 2 7 8 31 31 79 8,4 Bacterial inhib. 21 2 4 3 30 3,2 Malachite Green 1 9 14 28 52 5,6 Histamine 4 8 1 3 4 19 7 46 4,9 Totals 32 32 68 279 186 173 165 935 100
1 figures to August 2005
Thank you
