Canada changes fish export certification requirements

On July 31, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) required exporters to meet the following requirements in order to ensure the export of Fish products.

1. Federal Registered Fish Processing Plants Prior to December 1, 2014, federally registered fish processing plants must complete the Export Certification Control Program (ECCP) and send the form certification of the registration agency to their local association office. This form of certification should include an updated quality management plan (QMP) that includes control measures and procedures. The government will conduct a detailed review during the next compliance verification audit. For companies that are not completed before December 1, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will implement 100% inspection of its products and remove them from the foreign export eligible list.

2. On-site and/or fresh fish produced by non-registered institutions As of November 2013, any live or fresh fish should have export license application forms and export certification control procedures prior to export. A copy of the fish's export license application form and export certification control program must be submitted to the local Canadian Food Inspection Agency office.

3. Agents or Intermediaries Before December 1, 2014, agents or intermediaries who wish to continue to receive export certificates or qualify for export lists must obtain a fish export license. After December 1st, agents or intermediaries will be able to obtain registration of product bio-export certificates from a federal registry to reduce product inspections. However, they will not be able to receive part of the full certificate. In other words, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will issue an export certificate based on an agent's or intermediary's export certification control program.