This issue remains a hot topic of debate because the seafood industry does not 

 have a mandatory system of grading and inspection of its products, comparable to 

 that of beef and poultry. 



In the past, Congress has been unable to resolve the controversies over whether 

 seafood should be inspected, how it should be examined, who should do it, and who 

 will pay for the inspection. 



While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Marine Fisher- 

 ies Service (NMFS) does provide, for a fee, inspection services on a voluntary basis, 

 there are some who believe this system is inadequate. 



Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the National Academy of Sciences 

 (NAS) has stated that "most seafoods available to the U.S. public are wholesome 

 and unlikely to cause illness in the consumer." NAS went on to state that, "the 

 major risk of acute disease is associated with the consumption of raw shellfish, par- 

 ticularly bivalve molluscs." 



The purpose of this hearing is not to create another public scare over the health 

 risks of seafood. It is, however, to provide this Committee with some idea of what 

 the FDA is planning for the future, and how the activities of NMFS will comple- 

 ment that system. 



Our seafood industry does not need another magazine article castigating seafood 

 retailers. What it does need is support from the agencies and the consumer groups 

 to educate the public on how to handle seafood at every point from the sea to the 

 dinner table. This educational process must include the most important aspect for 

 the consumer, how to properly cook seafood, in order to destroy parasites and bacte- 

 rial containments before consumption. 



I look forward to hearing the testimony on this important issue. The witnesses 

 will assist this Subcommittee in assessing the problem and developing a fair and 

 reasonable strategy to address these matters. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mrs. Unsoeld. Mr. Chairman, out of deference to the time con- 

 straints on the very distinguished and busy Chairman from Energy 

 and Commerce, I would yield to him to speak first and then I 

 would give my opening remarks after, if that would be convenient 

 for both of you. 



Mr. Manton. The Chair thanks the gentlewoman and the Chair 

 recognizes our good friend and colleague, John Dingell, Chairman 

 of the Energy and Commerce Committee for a statement. Welcome. 



STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN D. DINGELL, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 

 FROM MICHIGAN 



Mr. Dingell. Mr. Chairman, first, thank you for your hospitality 

 and thank you for the privilege of appearing here before you. I 

 commend you and the distinguished gentlewoman from Washing- 

 ton State for your interest in this very important matter of fish in- 

 spection. I also want to commend our dear friend, Mr. Studds, the 

 Chairman of this Committee, for his longstanding interest and 

 commitment in that matter. 



Just as an aside, I have spent many happy years of my life in 

 this room, first when it was the Committee room of the Committee 

 on Energy and Commerce, then known as the Committee on Inter- 

 state and Foreign Commerce, and we had many interesting ses- 

 sions here, as I am sure you might understand. More lately I had 

 the privilege of serving here when this was the committee room of 

 the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries when I was a 

 member of this Committee and the Chairman of the Subcommittee 

 on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation which did, as you very well 

 know, some outstanding work, both in the area of fisheries, wild- 

 life, the environment and a number of other matters of concern to 



