Fish Control Regulations 1981 (GN No. 116 of 1981)

Fish Control Regulations 1981 GN No. 116 of 1981 30th May Regulations made by the Minister under section 10 of the Food and Drugs Ordinance 1. These regulations may be cited as the Fish Control Regulations 1981. 2. In these regulations “deterioration" means deterioration due to the action of bacteria, yeast or moulds; “elasmobranch fish" includes chimaeras, rays, sharks and skates; fish (a) means all aquatic animals; (b) includes canned, dried, frozen, pickled, salted or smoked fish; “Permanent Secretary” means the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health; “Peroxide value" or “Perocide Number" means a measure of fat rancidity by oxidation processes expressed as milliequivalent active oxygen per kilogram of fat; “process” (a) includes curing by smoking or any other treatment resulting in a substantial change in the natural state of the fish; (b) does not include boning, paring, grinding, cutting, cleaning or trimming; “P.P.m." means parts per million calculated by weight; “refrigeration plant" includes cold rooms, cold stores, ship's cold rooms and freezers in which fish is prepared; “T.V.B." means total volatile base calculated in milligrams of nitrogen per 100 gram of moisture-free fish, “sell" includes expose, hawk, consign or deliver for sale. 2. (1) Subject to paragraph (2) no person shall import, process, sell or advertise for sale any fish which (a) is radioactive; (b) has undergone any deterioration; or (c) contains (i) T.V.B in excess of 150 milligrams; (ii) histamine in excess of 30 p.p.m. ; (iii) body fats giving a peroxide value of more than 20 (iv) in the case of fish living near estuaries or in brackish water-Escherichia Coli in excess of 200 per shell fish (2) Paragraph (1) (c) (i) shall not apply to elasmobranch fish. 3. (1) Any refrigeration plant of a capacity of 2.5 cubic metres or more intended for storage of fish for sale shall be provided with a continuous temperature monitoring device approved by the Permanent Secretary and capable of giving a permanent record of temperature. (2) The records of temperature obtained under paragraph (1) shall be kept for a period of one year and shall, on demand, be produced to the Permanent Secretary or his representative. 4. Where any fish is certified by a Government Analyst to contravene these regulations the fish may be seized and destroyed as the Permanent Secretary may deem fit. 5. Every person who sells fish shall by means of a conspicuous label indicate clearly in Roman letters whether the fish is (a) fresh or congealed seawater fish (b) fresh or congealed freshwater fish (c) sharks or rays. 6. In any proceedings against a person for an offence in relation to the publication of an advertisement contrary to these regulations, it shall be a defence for that person to prove that being a person whose business it is to publish or arrange for the publication of advertisements, he received the advertisement for publication in the ordinary course of business. 7. Any person who contravenes any provision of those regulations shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 500 rupees and to imprisonment not exceeding 3 months. Made by the Minister on 18 May 1981.