1. Food safety and aquatic animals
Lahsen Ababouch
Chief, Fish Products, Trade and Marketing
Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
Food and Agriculture Organization
Rome, Italy
OIE Global Conference on Aquatic Animal Health Programmes: Their benefits for Global Food Security
Panama City, 28 – 30 June 2011

2. World Fish Trade 2007 (by value)
Quality requirements are dominated by three import areas, which represent three quarter of the world imports, EU, Japan, USA
where as the exports are to 50% coming from developing countries

3. Fisheries and Aquaculture Value Chain (Estimated at US $ 818 billion)
Capture fisheries
US $ 100 billion
Primary processing
US $ 90 billion
Secondary processing
US $ 180 billion
Distribution
US $ 350 billion
Aquaculture
US $ 98 billion
The sector of fisheries and aquaculture contributes significantly to national economies, income and livelihood for millions of people around the world. In 2008, the first sale value of capture fisheries was estimated at US$ 100 billion and that of aquaculture at 98 billion, in addition to US$ 7.4 billion of aquatic plants. This harvest undergoes a primary and a secondary processing before distribution, generating additional value at each subsequent step, estimated in 2007 at US$ 90 billion, 180 US$ billion and 350 US$ billion respectively for primary processing, secondary processing and distribution. This value addition is also accompanied by employment opportunities, especially for women employed in first and secondary processing in developing countries.
Analysis of the dynamics of various value-chains in international fish trade can help understand the distribution of benefits in the value-chain and the linkages between the relative benefits obtained and the design of the chain.
In an FAO project, comparisons are being made between domestic, regional and international value-chains with the view to understand better how developing countries can increase the value derived from their fishery resources. The project includes capture fisheries – marine and freshwater – as well as aquaculture and involves 15 countries, including Maldives, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam and Combodia from Asia.

4. Historical background
Attempts to codify food well known by early civilizations and during the middle age
Scientific developments of nineteenth century
More recent milestones
1963: Creation of the Codex Alimentarius
1985, the UNGA adopted resolution 39/248 on guidelines for consumer protection
1995: Creation of the WTO and signing of two agreements on The SPS measures and on TBT
Initiated in 1960, work to establish the Codex Alimentarius finalized in 1963 when a Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards programme was adopted
In 1985, the UNGA adopted resolution 39/248 on guidelines for consumer protection, which state that “when formulating national policies and plans with regard to food, Governments should take into account the need of all consumers for food security and should support and, as far as possible, adopt standards from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s ... and the World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius ...”
The agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and the agreement on the technical barriers to trade were signed by WTO members in 1995

5. Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT)
Revised Agreement from Tokyo Round ( )
Purpose of Agreement:
To encourage the development and use of international standards and conformity assessment systems
to prevent the use of technical requirements as unjustifiable trade barriers
To prevent deceptive trade practices
Product (1979) vs. product, process and production methods (1995)
SPS measures for agriculture and foods dealt with separately under SPS

6. Scope of SPS and TBT is different!
“any measure”
Scope of SPS and TBT is different!
technical regulations, standards, conformity assessment procedures Central Governments, regional Governments, Non Government Organizations
The SPS agreement
Expanded and updated text from GATT (1947, Article XXII b) and from TBT agreement of the Tokyo Round (1973 – 1978)
Purpose of the SPS agreement:
- to ensure that measures established by governments to protect human, animal and plant life and health are consistent with obligations prohibiting arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination on trade between countries where the same conditions prevail.
- Such measures shall not be applied in a manner that would constitute a disguised restriction on international trade
The TBT Agreement:
Revised Agreement from Tokyo Round ( )
Purpose of Agreement:
- To encourage the development and use of international standards and conformity assessment systems
- To prevent the use of technical requirements as unjustifiable trade barriers
- To prevent deceptive trade practices
Product (1979) vs. product, process and production methods (1995)
SPS measures for agriculture and foods dealt with separately under SPS

7. SPS/TBT, harmonization and equivalence
World Trade Organisation
Guidelines
Standards
Codes of Practice
of CODEX, OIE,
IPPC or
other international
Organizations
National Regulations

8. Objectives of the Codex alimentarius
To protect the health of consumers;
To ensure fair trade practices in food production and distribution;
To coordinate the development of food standards and facilitate international trade in food

9. Management Organs of the Codex Alimentarius
The Executive Committee
The Regional Co-coordinating Committees
The Secretariat of the Commission

10. Technical Organs of the Codex Alimentarius
9 General Subject (horizontal) Committees
12 Commodity (vertical) Committees
4 Ad Hoc Inter-Governmental Task Forces (JECFA, JEMRA,...)

11. General Subject Committees
General Principles (France)
Import/Export Inspection and Certification Systems (Australia)
Food Labeling (Canada)
Methods of Analysis & Sampling (Hungary)
Food Hygiene (USA)
Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (USA)
Pesticide Residues (Netherlands)
Food Additives and Contaminants (Netherlands)
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (Germany)

12. Active Commodity Committees
Fats and Oils (Malaysia)
Fish and Fishery Products (Norway)
Milk and Milk Products (New Zealand)
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (Mexico)
Cocoa Products & Chocolate (Switzerland)
Natural Mineral Waters (Switzerland)

13. UNIFORM PROCEDURE
Decision to elaborate standard (Commission)
Draft standard proposed (Relevant Codex Committee)
Request for Comments (Secretariat)
Amendments / Session (Relevant Codex Committee)
Adoption as a draft standard (Commission)
Adoption as a Codex standard (Commission) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

16. Codex Outputs relevant to Fisheries and aquaculture
Code of practice for food hygiene (GHP, HACCP, Risk assessment, microbiological criteria)
Standards for fish and fishery products (Volume 9A: 16 standards on frozen, canned, salted and dried fish, 2 guidelines for sensory evaluation)
Code of practice for Fish and Fishery products (GHP, GAP, HACCP)
Several international risk assessments (Vibrios in seafood, biotoxins, antimicrobial resistance)
Several principles and guidelines for food import and export inspection and certification
MRL for veterinary drugs relevant to FFP
MRL for contaminants relevant to FFP
Work in progress (EC Viruses, Risk/benefits of MeHg or active chlorine, antimicrobial resistance, fish sauce, sturgeon caviar)

17. The food chain approach (FAO)
Prevention at Source
Risk Analysis
Harmonization
Equivalence
Traceability
Fish safety and quality from a food chain perspective should incorporate the three fundamental components of risk analysis - assessment, management and communication
Tracing techniques (traceability) from the primary producer through post-harvest treatment, processing and distribution to the consumer must be improved.
Harmonisation of fish quality and safety standards, implying use of internationally agreed, scientifically-based standards
Equivalence in food safety systems – achieving the same results whatever means of control are used
Increased emphasis on risk avoidance or prevention at source within the whole food chain – from farm or sea to plate,

18. Prevention at source
Producers and processors are responsible for fish safety and quality along the food chain using preventive systems (GAP, GHP, HACCP and GMP)
Competent authorities enact food laws and regulations, verify that producers and processors apply properly preventive systems (through inspection, audit and verification)

19. (interactive exchange information and ideas)
The Risk Analysis Process
Risk
Assessment
“scientific”
hazards
exposure
dose-response
synthesis
uncertainty
Risk Management
“policy”
social
cultural
economic
Risk Communication
(interactive exchange of
information and ideas)
Process
Initiation

20. How do “experts” and consumers rate risks?

21. Food safety hazards from aquatic animal products
Microbiological contaminants:
Bacteria (Vibrio spp., Salmonella, Shigella, E.coli,...)
viruses (hepatitis A, Norwalk)
Parasites (nematodes, cestodes, trematodes)
Chemical contaminants: pesticides, heavy metals, dioxins, PCBs,...
Residues of
veterinary drugs (chloramphenicol, nitrofurans, green malachite,...)
additives (e.g. metabisulfites)
Biotoxins: PSP, DSP, ASP, NSP

22. EU Rapid Alert System-by causes for Aquaculture
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
CAUSE
  total
 50
 101
 247
 103
 137
(01-04) 46
total
Chloramphenicol
44(43%) 44
188(76%)
102
73(71%) 13
48(35%) 8
26(57%)
chemical
nitrofurans 85 50 26 12
malachite green 1 10 14
Vibrio
(parahaemolyticus/cholerae)
46(92%) 36
(16/20)
57(56%) 38
(25/13)
58(23%) 37
(27/10)
29(28%) 15
(13/2)
87(64%)
(22/4)
19(41%) 2
(2/0)
salmonella 6 17 4
biological
mesophiles 3
listeria 34 7
e.coli
others
Labeling
4(8%)  0
1(1%)
2(1%)
1(2%) 0 
temp.control
684
100%
379
55%
296
43% 9 2%

23. Sources of food safety hazards in aquaculture
Farm and its surroundings
Water
Source of fry and fingerlings
Feed
Grow-out (practices, workers, animals)
Harvesting and transportation
Biosecurity vs GAP/GHP

24. Harmonization and equivalence
Codex standards, Codes of practice and guidelines
European Union: “Farm to Fork” Food Hygiene Package ( )
FDA: 1997 (21CFR 1230): GHP, GMP, Guidance for hazards in fish and fishery products, Seafood HACCP Alliance training program
Mutual recognition agreements

25. Placard showing project site
Study of aquaculture practices, possible sources of parasites and pathogens that affect fish heath
Develop site-specific good aquaculture practices and train farmers on implementation
Training of the officers of Bureau of Fisheries
Improve awareness in farmers about animal health problems and strategies for prevention of diseases
Support to the Laboratory and training on monitoring water and sediment quality, monitoring use of chemicals by farmers

26. Desiltaion of ponds- about 1 meter silt was removed

27. Training of DOF officers on water quality and fish health management

28. Harvesting of demonstration ponds
Ten demonstration and 10 non demonstration ponds
Mean profit in non-demonstration ponds: Yuan 958
Mean profit in demonstration ponds: Yuan 1678

29. Gross Revenue increased by 14% Profit Doubled over the year
Economics (US$ per ha)
Gross Revenue increased by 14%
Profit Doubled over the year
people reached by BMP programme
47 farmers in 2007, following BMPs; 2656 in
2010. Losses to disease halved, numbers
making a profit doubled
150 farmers’ groups formed, 27 Petua
Neuheun at the organizational level above
Aquaculture strategy, spatial plan, tilapia
diversification, studies on socio-economics,
potential for freshwater and oyster farming
Strengthening government capacity & support

30. Progress:
2007
2008
2009
2010
Villages 11 34 84 93
Farmers 47
260
1100
2656 Ha 22
184
1027
2442
FAO Aceh 601/ARC Jun 2010

31. Development of “private standards”
Globalization of production, processing and trade
Vertical integration and Consolidation
“Supermarketization”, including in developing countries
Increasing role of retailers as the last link between suppliers and consumers.
The use of B2B standards to protect reputations
Emergence of coalitions (GFSI, BRC)
Food scares: Mad cow disease, Dioxin, Avian flu, SARS,...
Loss of confidence in public control authorities
Concern over the sustainability of natural resources, the marine fauna (dolphins, whales, turtles,...) and environment
Increasing influence of civil society and consumer advocacy groups
FSMs: food safety management standards; FSMS: Food safety management systems

32. “Corporate social responsibility” - Legality (IUU) - Sustainability - Certification - Eco-labelling - Tracability and chain of custody - Social and Environmental aspects
As a result, major buyers have developed corporate social responsibility policies which now regularly include references to a range of private standards. The fisheries procurement policies of most large retailers typically include a significant sustainability component, often with targets for wild caught fish to be certified to an ecolabel, and for farmed fish and seafood to be certified to an aquaculture certification scheme. Suppliers working at the post-harvest level are increasingly required to be certified to a private food safety management certification scheme. The onus is therefore increasingly on suppliers to verify that their products meet certain standards. Certification provides this ‘burden of proof’.
The costs and benefits of certification accrue differently to different stakeholders. Retailers are the main drivers for certification and reap the most rewards in terms of value-addition to their brand and reputation, risk management, ease of procurement, and potential price premiums, at relatively low or no cost (relating to chain of custody certification or licence fees). In contrast, producers assume the main cost burden. 32

33. Market Response
Individual logos are the property of the owner and used for illustration purposes only

34. Implications
Competing standards and labels can be confusing as to the value of the process
Definition of boundaries between private and public sectors. Who is responsible for what?
Duplication or complementarity
Compliance with WTO rules
Who bears the cost of certification
Specific needs of small scale businesses and developing countries

35. Market driven phase ‘B2B’ Focus ‘B2B’ Focus B2C Focus Governments
Policymakers
Fisheries Bodies
National Fisheries
Fishing
Farming
Sector
Processors
Retailers

36. Guidelines for aquaculture certification
Background
Scope
Terms and Definitions
Users
Application
Principles (OIE)
Minimum Substantive Criteria
7.1 Animal Health and Welfare (OIE)
7.2 Food Safety and Quality
7.3 Environmental Integrity
7.4 Social Responsibility
8. INSTITUTIONAL AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS
8.1 Governance
8.2 Standards Setting
8.3 Accreditation
8.4 Certification
9. Implementation

37. Lahsen.Ababouch@fao.org ! شكراً 谢谢! Thank you! Merci! Gracias! Спасибо37