Russia’s phytosanitary and veterinary service Rosselkhoznadzor has lifted temporary import restrictions imposed on four Chilean salmon farming facilities, Chilean aquaculture authority Sernapesca reported.
The four plants are Congelados y Conservas Fitz Roy S.A., Álvarez y Álvarez Limitada, Pesquera Torres del Paine Limitada, and Nova Austral S.A. The agreement was reached following a visit by Sernapesca Director Alicia Gallardo to Russia to meet with Rosselkhoznadzor Director Sergey Dankvert. Both respective regulatory bodies reached on a three-point agreement:
- Permanent communication is to be established between both services. During March, a first video conference will be held to address technical issues including communications, analysis methodology, and safety controls carried out by Chile in terms of safety.
- The Chilean authority agreed to send a dossier with the analysis of each case, in which it found Rosselkhoznadzor’s claim to have found traces of oxytetracycline in Chilean salmon to be false. The Russian authority agreed to perform a more in-depth analysis of each situation, which led it to declare the ban.
- Sernapesca provided compliance guarantees regarding Russia’s sanitary parameters. Gallardo and other Chilean authorities presented Sernapesca’s control system, emphasizing its efficient traceability throughout the production chain.
The Russian entity expressed interest in signing a technical scientific collaboration agreement with Chile, which marks an important milestone in understanding the methodologies applied by Rosselkhoznadzor, according to the Sernapesca release.
The Russian authorities had begun restricting certain salmon imports in November 2019. In the last few weeks, Rosselkhoznadzor also banned Norwegian salmon imports after claiming to have found crystal violet in fish from that nation.
Chile exports fish and aquaculture production to more than 140 markets, in which the Russian Federation represents 5 percent of the total. Other principal markets include the United States (17 percent), Japan (14 percent), China (13 percent), and Brazil (7 percent).
In related news, on 4 March, Sernapesca’s Gallardo was chosen to lead the Oceans and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG) of the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Forum, APEC.
Photo courtesy of nomading/Shutterstock
