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18 SEAFOOD SAFETf 



Better control is needed of imported fish products, which represent over half 

 of the fish and shellfish consumed in the United States. Seafood imports are coming 

 from an increasing number of countries, some of which have poor internal control 

 systems. A significant number of supplier countries arc in tropical areas where some 

 bacteria and toxin hazards are intrinsically high. Additionally, the United States is 

 receiving increasing numbers of fish and crustaceans from foreign aquaculture 

 operations (see Chapters 2 and 8). In view of the often regional and species- 

 associated nature of seafood hazards, it would be appropriate to classify suppliers into 

 risk categories for particular species or processed seafoods. Consideration should be 

 given to extending the scope of MOU arrangements to cover all seafoods, and 

 unfettered import of seafood products should be permitted only from countries '(frith 

 whom the United States has MOUs. Testing of imports for chemical residues should 

 be carried out systematically according to a planned program designed to provide long- 

 term estimates of the level of contamination in particular species or in the products 

 of different supplier countries. In view of the very complex structure of international 

 trade in fishery products, it is desirable that a better system be established to identify 

 the country of origin of imported seafoods. This may require international agreements. 



Legislative Considerations 



Education and Information Measures 



Programs should be established for training regulators and seafood industry 

 personnel to be proficient in the regulatory programs under consideration. These 

 programs should be well-coordinated across states, with more national guidance and 

 increased consideration of the unique attributes of various geographic regions. 



States should be required to produce advisories that can be used by both 

 commercial and recreational personnel to learn about local public health risks and 

 protective measures. In the development of advisories for reproductive effects, due 

 weight must be given to the persistence of different toxicants in people. A useful 

 federal function, besides producing advisories to meet national problems, would be 

 development -with the states -of a standardized format for written and broadcast 

 advisories so that there will be minimum confusion due to state and local differences. 



Educational programs for safe preparation and service of seafoods in 

 commercial and home settings must also be developed and delivered as a part of an 

 integrated seafood safety program. 



Recommendations for Improved Inspection- Strategies 



Inspection should continue to be based on shared responsibility between state 

 and federal agencies. The general philosophy presented here involves the concept of 

 a federal agency (or agencies) having responsibility for identifying and characterizing 

 risks, establishing methodologies and acceptable or actionable levels of undesirable 

 agents, and monitoring state inspection programs. In addition, the federal agency 

 would continue to have primary responsibility for imported products and products in 

 interstate shipment. The agency would establish well-equipped regional laboratories 

 to conduct tests for the federal program and -where appropriate - for state agency 



