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 support such a legislative approach. We have done this 



before, and I am ready, willing, and able to do so again. 



We must have a strong, comprehensive seafood safety 



program. 



I am therefore pleased that while Congress has 

 continued to grapple with this issue, NOAA, in 

 consultation with FDA, has developed a voluntary 

 inspection and labeling program based on the Hazard 

 Analysis Critical Control Point, or HACCP, approach. This 

 program will go a long way toward assuring consumers, 

 because the NOAA seal on a product will indicate the high 

 quality required by the NOAA program. 



However, a voluntary program can only be a partial 

 solution if we want tough, mandatory standards that all 



