Pilot Program Announced During Import Safety Summit

July 9, 2008 Washington, DC During the first-ever Import Safety Summit, Michael Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced a program to test and evaluate third-party certification systems for aquacultured shrimp.

As part of the Governments new import safety strategy, FDA is drafting guidance for third-party certification programs in order to ensure the certified products meet FDA requirements. It is a program the government hopes will multiply FDAs worldwide reach.

Just as the value of trade has changed, we must change our strategy. Simply scaling up our inspections isnt going to work. We have to develop new tools that meet the challenges we are going to face, said Secretary Leavitt.

Highlighting certification work already taking place in the shrimp industry, the Secretary said, A center piece of our new strategy is to leverage and build on that kind of effort. It already exists we are seeing it work.

The FDAs pilot program will focus first on farmed shrimp as a test case, examining best aquaculture practices and standards.

This is evidence that HHSs Import Safety Action Plan is moving in the right direction at the right pace, often not seen in the government, said National Fisheries Institute (NFI) President John Connelly. This is an opportunity for the seafood community to demonstrate that the steps they have voluntarily taken over the past several years meet the governments requirements. This public-private cooperation will help FDA do its job while influencing health and safety standards world wide. Through this third party certification system, we are saying to the government, Track us, so you can trust us.

For more than 60 years, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and its members have provided American families with the variety of sustainable seafood essential to a healthy diet. For more information visit: www.AboutSeafood.com

Contact Information

Gavin Gibbons
703.752.8891
ggibbons@nfi.org