Coverage of the production and processing supply chain Comments received on the coverage of the production and processing supply chain showed a broad range of opinion. Several submissions mentioned that the entire chain should be covered from harvest to retail, inclusive. However, others felt that it should only apply up to, but not including, the point of retail sale, or up to the point at which the Code currently applies. The question of whether the pre-harvest sector of aquaculture should be regulated also engendered varying opinions, with some believing that production inputs into aquaculture need to be covered by the standard.
The Seafood Standards Development Committee (SDC) advised that the seafood PPP Standard should cover all aspects of primary production and processing of seafood, from harvest/ capture (whether wildcatch or aquaculture) through to retail sale, to the extent determined by the level of public health risk posed by each industry sector.
The draft Standard covers the pre-harvest sector to the extent that it requires seafood businesses to adopt an ‘inputs’ approach, using only inputs that do not contaminate seafood or adversely affect its safety and suitability.
