The Sea Fish Industry Authority, or Seafish, on Thursday advised the industry of new farmed seafood health regulations.
The regulations went into effect on 27 March in England, Wales and Scotland and will affect all seafood farms in the UK, as well as shellfish purification and dispatch facilities and some farmed fish processors.
Under the Aquatic Animal Health Directive, all affected companies must be authorized by the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI). The companies have until 1 August to register for the authorization process. A public register of authorized aquaculture businesses and an official register of stocked fisheries and cropping waters will be made available.
"We welcome controls that stop the transmission of disease. We have had controls in place since 1992, which have made a major contribution to the high health status of our valuable fish and shellfish resources," said Sarah Horsfall of the Seafish legislation team. "This new legislation is designed to provide more transparent regulation and control systems by consolidating existing aquatic animal health legislation into a single regulation."
The Seafish legislation team advises the industry on its legal requirements and engages with government on proposed changes to legislation affecting the seafood industry.
April 9, 2009
