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Apart from the current obligation in Food Acts to produce safe food, the regulatory regime of most State and Territory governments, with some exceptions, places few specific food safety requirements on seafood businesses in the primary production sector. Only NSW and Victoria, the smaller seafood production States, have put in place mandatory safety and hygiene regulations over the entire seafood supply chain.
In the other jurisdictions, hygiene and safety outcomes are mainly influenced by industry guidelines and codes of practice and by the regulation of export establishments (where these establishments also supply the domestic market) based on HACCP programs22.
Industry bodies report that a significant majority of Australian seafood businesses do follow industry guidelines and codes of practice and incorporate good hygiene practices into their normal business operations23. The consequence of applying self-regulation is of commercial benefit to these businesses because good food safety practices enhance their capacity to meet market needs and achieve higher returns from their products24.
Seafood businesses that meet food safety needs through a formal food safety program report additional benefits including: reduced wastage, lower maintenance costs, production savings, enhanced understanding of their own business and improved management practices25.
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