June 18, 1996
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

Quality initiatives for fish products announced

Quality of product, from the time fish is harvested to the time it is ready for the consumer's table, must be given top priority by everyone handling the product or the entire industry suffers, says Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister John Efford.

"Quality is a key to shaping the fishery of the future, and developing and maintaining new markets. Any relaxing of efforts to produce top quality products could do untold damage to our markets and the reputation of our fishing industry," he said.

Mr. Efford said that while premium quality fish and seafood products are being produced in the province, all it takes is one person or company to allow sub-standard products into the marketplace, and "everyone gets a black eye. Any consumer or company who purchases these products will not look to see which fish plant produced them. All they will pay attention to is the fact that they were produced in Newfoundland and Labrador. They will associate inferior product with the province, not with a particular company or individual, and will be reluctant to try other products from this province."

"That not only is damaging to those who take care to produce a premium product, but hurts markets, and the industry at large," he said. At a news conference today, the minister provided details of initiatives being undertaken by his department to ensure quality of products is maintained.

About 20 officials with the department's five regional offices, as well as inspectors from the department's headquarters in St. John's, will be involved in inspection efforts.

In an effort to ensure that snow crab intended for further processing meets certain quality standards, inspectors will monitor crab at dockside, in transit to fish plants, and at each plant licensed to process snow crab.

"The focus of this effort is to ensure that crab is adequately iced or chilled and is held in appropriate containers that are not overfilled. Also, all persons involved in handling crab will be encouraged to exercise care when loading and unloading. Inspectors will watch for size, the liveliness of the crab, leg loss, cleanliness and whether soft shell is apparent," Mr. Efford said.

The department's inspection team will also "be keeping a watchful eye on capelin processing," he said. Inspection personnel will observe freezing temperatures at fish plants, and watch for overpack.

"One thing I want staff to ensure is that there is no unwarranted dumping of male capelin and unusable females," the minister said. "It is important that processors try to find a way to utilize male capelin as much as possible. Alternatives to dumping must be found. One is for companies to arrange for over-the-side sales to foreign countries - as long as this does not jeopardize efforts of local processors to secure a supply of the raw material needed to meet their processing requirements."

There are also other alternatives to dumping, Mr. Efford said. Other than its use as food, he said, male capelin can be used at meal plants to produce fertilizer, and there is potential to dry capelin, as well as use it in pet food. The minister noted that Earle Proteins in Carbonear has opened a meal plant for the '96 capelin season, and this is one outlet processors can use to dispose of male capelin.

Meanwhile, the minister said, capelin processors will be required to submit daily production reports to the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, as has been the case in previous years. This year, however, as a pilot project, each licensed plant is assigned a production quota for capelin. As part of the project, companies are required to have independent monitors in their plants to audit purchases and production, and ensure individual quotas are not exceeded. The monitors are required to verify the daily reports sent to the department.

Mr. Efford said that turbot sourced north of Cape Charles and landed anywhere in the province will be inspected, using dockside grading standards. The minister said he has some concerns that quality suffers when fish caught off Labrador is shipped very long distances for processing.

"The entire industry gets a black eye when the quality of one product is less than what it should be," he said. Mr. Efford said inspection personnel will continue to monitor shipments of fish from recognized departure points to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Fish Inspection Act and regulations.

As well, processing requirements prescribed as a condition of licence to encourage and promote new and developing fisheries will be monitored for compliance. One of these requirements, the minister noted, is the gradual percentage increase in the extraction of sea urchin roe of total purchases that must be achieved by processors over the next three years. Inspectors will verify purchases and production records at each plant licensed to process sea urchins.