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(to see presentation)
The enormous attention generated by food safety scares in the last 10 years, such as BSE, e-coli, salmonella, listeria , PCB’s, heavy metals, etc., has permeated all aspects of food safety legislation in the European Union. Indeed, the attention has been transformed into what some would describe as an extreme (even paranoiac) precautionary approach to food safety issues.
Adding to the fear engendered is the technological advances in diagnostics and residue testing. Our ability to detect molecules of substances to levels of picograms only serves to confirm the presence of undesirable substances in food.
While many of the cases have been related to terrestrial animals, fish and aquaculture products have been caught up in the frenzy of fear hyped up by the Press. Hence it is inevitable that the fish farming sector must address the concerns raised by the consumer, and the food safety agencies.
As trout farmers, there is an obligation to safeguard the health of our fish. The industry has to have access to efficacious veterinary medicines. But there must be no levels of residues above the accepted maximum residue levels (MRL) set for human consumption. We have seen additional magnitudes of safety factors being applied by the EU Scientific Committees to products previously licenced for use in fish, e.g. canthaxanthin.
Mirroring public concerns about fish health is the closely inter-related subject of fish welfare. Again, pressure was generated by a terrestrial animal welfare lobby - driven often by emotion rather than science, but the Council of Europe felt it necessary to generate Conventions ( Transport ; Slaughter; of animals).
“The Standing Committee of the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes” turned its attention to farmed fish and started drafting fish welfare conditions some four years ago. The draft is now in its 13th Revision, and still has a long way to go. But in the absence of scientific assessments of welfare, the proposals have been developed often by perception. However, the experience and practices of successfully rearing farmed fish over many years, means that the industry has the knowledge of what is good welfare.
Hence, the industry must seize the initiative and determine the codification of fish welfare.
The stages reached by the Council of Europe will be described, and the role the industry has to play explained.
William Crowe has been involved with EC legislative issues in food producing industries throughout his career. Initially qualified as an agricultural economist, and with experience in the livestock sector internationally, he served as Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Growers Association from 1988-1999.During this period, and subsequently as an independent consultant he has been closely involved with EU Commission and international affairs, involving technical, economic, social, and political matters in aquaculture. Through the FEAP he has been nominated to represent the Federation on Fish Health, Markets and Trade Policy working groups of the EU Commission, and on the Council of Europe Standing Committee on Welfare of Farmed Fish.
Contact details: Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation, Durn, Isla Road, Perth PH2 7HG, Scotland, UK.
Tel: +44 1738 587011. E-mail: wcrowe@scottishsalmon.co.uk
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