51 



TESTIMONY 



OF 



NANCY FOSTER 



ACTING ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR FISHERIES 



NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 



BEFORE THE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT 



COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES 



U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



JUNE 23, 1993 



Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee: 



I am Nancy Foster, Acting Assistant Administrator for 

 Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 (NCAA), U.S. Department of Commerce. I appreciate this 

 opportunity to present NCAA's views on seafood safety and 

 describe NCAA's programs that are directed towards helping assure 

 the safety and quality of seafood. 



There is continuing pressure on Congress and Federal 

 regulatory agencies to improve current seafood safety programs. 

 Critics believe that current programs are not as effective as 

 they could be in addressing the hazards associated with seafood 

 consumption. However, NCAA agrees with the conclusions reached 

 by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in its 1991 report on 

 seafood safety. In that report, NAS concluded that "[m]ost 

 seafoods available to the U.S. public are wholesome and unlikely 

 to cause illness in the consumer." NCAA also concurs with the 

 report's conclusion that "...the health risks associated with 



