IAFI Norman Grant Chairman Seafood Importers Association of Australasia Inc

AUSTRALIA Small Market 22 million people > 35 million by 2050 per capita seafood consumption currently less than 20kg Small Local Production fisheries 175,000 mt* *unprocessed weight aquaculture = 70,000 mt* less exports 45,000 mt* Seafood Imports Major Portion over 200,000 mt** value = AUD$1 billion **mostly processed weight estimate 75% of seafood consumed is now imported

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA Where We Import From

AUSTRALIA What’s the history of Australia’s imported seafood food safety compliance? Seafood is the most tested food commodity we import. It is arguably the most compliant food commodity we import. Consistently 97% - 98% compliant. 50% of non-compliancy is labeling. We have a hold & test category, and a release & test category. Failures are public information published monthly on AQIS website. Consistent with clinical data on public health.

AUSTRALIA Issues Non-tariff trade barriers: AUD$60 million drop in shrimp imports between 2007 and 2008 due to new quarantine restrictions. Integrity of IRA process questioned. Producer resistance to growth in popularity of Basa (Pangasius) and Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) fillets from Vietnam. Negative publicity designed to erode consumer confidence leads to unnecessary reviews of food safety systems. Confidence in all seafood subsequently affected.

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Specific Quarantine Restrictions Since 2007: Uncooked whole shrimp are prohibited. Uncooked cutlets (tail-on) and peeled meat will be held for testing in Australia for WSSV and YHD. A positive test will result in no entry. Every batch (one pond or one day’s production) is tested separately. Highly processed shrimp products (marinated, breaded, dim sum, etc) can avoid disease testing if imported under permit. Stringent conditions apply. The only exceptions are for countries free of these diseases or where ‘compartmentalization’ is approved. Cooked shrimp must have a declaration by a competent authority that they have been cooked in approved premises to specific time/temperature requirements.

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Issues The biggest and rapidly emerging, over-arching issue is that Australia’s:  border controls  legislation  financial and human resources  political support are not keeping pace with the growth in the volume and diversity of seafood imports. More of the system needs to happen offshore.

AUSTRALIA Issues Pre-export: Laboratory equivalence Greater role by competent authorities in supplier nations Greater degree of co-regulation with importers Registration and training of importers (SIAA Code of Practice) Role of 3rd party food safety certification in border controls Role of product standards (eg. Australian Standard) Compliance agreements

AUSTRALIA Issues Other certifications: Sustainability Working through the plethora of eco-labels and what they mean to business clients and consumers. What is their role in future border control? Fair trade Assessing / creating certifications to suit situations (eg. eliminating labor abuse).

AUSTRALIA Issues Weight Fraud: The law in Australia is - 100% net weight as described on the label Ice glaze National legislation incorporating a court enforceable thaw/weigh method Over-use of water retention additives (eg. phosphates) Not just about fraud – also loss of product quality. Technical difficulties Progress: Since 2010 national legislation and a National Measurement Institute Barriers: No border enforcement; inconsistent post-border enforcement

AUSTRALIA Issues Tariff codes: Not keeping pace with changes in supply Implications for food safety and quarantine Makes a nonsense of statistics