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ARCHIVED - Backgrounder - Canada’s response to new EU traceability requirements
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European Union Regulation
The new EU regulation establishes a system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. It is formally known as Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008.
The EU is working to finalize this regulation by June/July 2009, for full implementation on January 1, 2010. It will require exporting countries (such as Canada) to provide the EU with a government-validated catch certificate attesting that fish and fish products originate from non-IUU (legal) fisheries.
The regulation will apply to catch landed after January 1, 2010 (i.e. not inventory in holding that was caught prior to this date). It generally includes all marine fishery products including live, fresh, chilled, frozen, prepared and preserved product forms. All freshwater fisheries and aquaculture products are exempt from this regulation, as well as some forms of mollusks such as scallops, mussels, oysters and snails.
Compliance with the EU regulation is mandatory for anyone in the fishing industry who exports their products to the EU. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will provide the necessary catch certificate document when requested by industry. While DFO is working cooperatively with provincial governments and the fishing industry to meet these requirements by January 2010, the onus will be on harvesters, processors, buyers, brokers and exporters to ensure DFO has the necessary information and documentation to support the issuance of a catch certificate that meets the EU requirements.
Complete information about the proposed EU IUU regulation
Traceability Task Group
The Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) has identified traceability as a priority issue for 2009. Traceability is the ability to follow the movement of fish and seafood products through the seafood supply chain from harvesting to processing and distribution.
In November 2008, CCFAM formed a Traceability Task Group (TTG) to coordinate federal and provincial governments’ response to the EU IUU requirements in the short term and the market demands for seafood product traceability in the longer term. The Task Group includes government agencies responsible for fisheries management and food safety with support and input from industry and subject matter experts.
In conjunction with the TTG and industry representatives, DFO is leading the development of a traceability process capable of supporting industry in meeting the EU requirements. DFO is scheduling further information sessions to discuss this process with the Canadian industry over the next few months.
Federal officials have also had several meetings with the European Union (EU) to discuss implementation of the EU IUU catch certificate requirements and how they will apply to Canadian fisheries exports. These meetings have been both informative for EU to understand how Canadian fisheries are managed and enforced, and for Canada in clarifying how the EU IUU requirements will apply.
