MMO1329_1 - The importance of seafood traceability

Improving traceability, the extent to which fish can be verifiably tracked as it moves through the supply chain, is a key priority for Defra's Control & Enforcement policy team and the Marine Management Organisation. In the UK it is a legal requirement that all lots of fisheries and aquaculture products be traceable at all stages of production, processing and distribution, from catching or harvesting to retail stage. In practice demonstration of compliance is highly variable.

The key challenges to improving traceability of fish are:

• Accurately linking the physical fish with the data which is reported by fishers
• Ensuring that data is submitted on time, accurately and in the correct format
• Maintaining the accuracy of data as fish moves between stages (including the possible mixing of fish from different vessels).

Beyond the domestic arena, traceability is critical in ensuring that consignments of fish can be successfully exported abroad for processing, transport and ultimate sale. Often time is critical in these scenarios, as fresh seafood has a short shelf life. There are clear synergies between the work investigating potential technologies and innovations which could facilitate greater traceability accuracy and timeliness to fulfil domestic legislative goals and wider Government priorities to facilitate fish exports and trade.