Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) Regulations, 2005 (L.N. No. 18 of 2005)

This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court HB64 Legal Notice No. 18 of 2005 ST.HELENA FISH AND FISH PRODUCTS ORDINANCE, CAP. 89 FISH AND FISH PRODUCTS (HYGIENE ON FISHING VESSELS) REGULATIONS, 2005 In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 of the Fish and Fish Products Ordinance, the Governor in Council makes the following regulations: Short title 1. These regulations may be cited as the Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) Regulations, 2005. Interpretation 2. For the purposes of these regulations “the competent authority” has the meaning assigned to it by regulation 3 of the Fish and Fish Products (Marketing) Regulations 2005; “fish products” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 of the Fish and Fish Products Ordinance Cap 89. Application 3. (1) The general hygiene conditions set out in Part I shall apply to fish products handled on board fishing vessels. (2) The additional hygiene conditions set out in Part II shall apply to fishing vessels designed and equipped to preserve fish products on board under satisfactory conditions for more than twenty-four hours, other than those equipped for keeping fish, shellfish and molluscs alive without other means of conservation on board. This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court HB65 L.N. No 18. Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) PART I GENERAL HYGIENE CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO FISH PRODUCTS ON BOARD FISHING VESSELS Storage of fish products on board fishing vessels 4. (1) The sections of fishing vessels or the containers reserved for the storage of fish products must not contain objects or products liable to transmit harmful properties or abnormal characteristics to the foodstuffs. These sections or containers must be so designed as to allow them to be cleaned easily and to ensure that melt water cannot remain in contact with the fish products. (2) When used, the sections of fishing vessels or the containers reserved for the storage of fish products must be completely clean and, in particular, must not be capable of being contaminated by the fuel used for the propulsion of the vessel or by bilge water. Protection of fish products from contamination, etc 5. As soon as they are taken on board a fishing vessel, fish products must be protected from contamination and from the effects of the sun or any other source of heat. When fish products are washed, the water used must be either fresh water or clean seawater, so as not to impair their quality or wholesomeness. Handling and storage of fish products 6. Fish products shall be handled and stored on board fishing vessels in such a way as to prevent bruising. The use of spiked instruments shall be tolerated for the moving of large fish or fish which might injure the handler, provided the flesh of these products is not damaged. Cold Treatment of fish products 7. Fish products other than those kept alive must undergo cold treatment as soon as possible after loading on board a fishing vessel. Ice used for chilling fish products 8. Ice used for the chilling of fish products on board fishing vessels must be made from drinking water or clean seawater. Before use, it must be stored under conditions which prevent its contamination. This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) L.N. No 18. HB66 Cleaning of containers, equipment, etc 9. After the fish products have been unloaded, the containers, equipment and sections of fishing vessels which are directly in contact with the fish products must be cleaned with drinking water or clean seawater. Heading or gutting of fish 10. Where fish is headed and/or gutted on board a fishing vessel, such operations must be carried out hygienically and the products must be washed immediately and thoroughly with drinking water or clean seawater. The viscera and parts which may pose a threat to public health must be removed and set apart from products intended for human consumption. Livers and roes intended for human consumption must be refrigerated or frozen. Equipment used for gutting, heading and removal of fins 11. Equipment used on board fishing vessels for gutting, heading and the removal of fins, and containers and equipment in contact with the fish products, must be made of or coated with a material which is waterproof, resistant to decay, smooth and easy to clean and disinfect. When used they must be completely clean. Staff hygiene standards 12. Staff on board fishing vessels assigned to the handling of fish products shall be required to maintain a high standard of cleanliness for themselves and their clothes. PART II ADDITIONAL HYGIENE CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO THE FISHING VESSELS REFERRED TO IN REGULATION 3(2) Fishing vessels to be equipped with holds, tanks, etc 13. Fishing vessels must be equipped with holds, tanks or containers for the storage of refrigerated or frozen fish products at a core temperature of -18ºC or lower after temperature stabilization. These holds must be separated from the machinery space and the quarters reserved for the crew by partitions which are sufficiently impervious to prevent any contamination of the stored fish products. Inside surface of holds, tanks, etc 14. The inside surface of the holds, tanks or containers of fishing vessels shall be waterproof and easy to wash and disinfect. Such surface shall consist of a smooth material or, failing that, smooth paint maintained in good condition, not being capable of transmitting to the fish products substances harmful to human health. This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court HB67 L.N. No 18. Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) Design of holds 15. Holds of fishing vessels shall be designed to ensure that melt water cannot remain in contact with the fish products. Containers used for the storage of fish products 16. Containers used for the storage of fish products on fishing vessels must ensure their preservation under satisfactory conditions of hygiene and, in particular, allow drainage of melt water. When used they must be completely clean. Cleaning of working decks, equipment, etc 17. The working decks, the equipment and the holds, tanks and containers of fishing vessels shall be cleaned each time they are used. Drinking water or clean seawater shall be used for this purpose. Disinfection shall also be carried out at periodic intervals and when circumstances make it necessary to do so. Removal of vermin 18. The removal of insects or rat extermination on fishing vessels shall be carried out whenever necessary. Storage of cleaning products 19. Cleaning products, disinfectants, insecticides and all potentially toxic substances used on fishing vessels shall be stored in locked premises or cupboards. Their use must not present any risk of contamination of the fish products. Fish products frozen on board fishing vessel 20. If fish products are frozen on board a fishing vessel, this operation must be carried out in accordance with the conditions laid down in regulation 24 of these regulations. Where freezing in brine is used, the brine shall not be a source of contamination for the fish. Fishing vessels equipped for chilling of fish products 21. Fishing vessels equipped for chilling of fish products in cooled seawater, either chilled by ice (CSW) or refrigerated by mechanical means (RSW), shall comply with the following requirements: (a) tanks must be equipped with adequate seawater filling and drainage installations and must incorporate devices for achieving uniform temperature throughout the tanks; This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) L.N. No 18. HB68 (b) tanks must have a means of recording temperature connected to a temperature sensor positioned in the section of the tank where temperatures are highest; (c) the operation of the tank or container system must secure a chilling rate which ensures the mix of fish and seawater reaches 3°C at the most six hours after loading and 0°C at the most after sixteen hours; (d) after each unloading, the tanks, circulation systems and containers must be completely emptied and thoroughly cleaned using drinking water or clean seawater. They should only be filled with clean seawater; (e) the date and the number of the tank must be clearly indicated on the temperature recordings which must be kept available for the competent authority. List of vessels equipped in accordance with regulations 20 or 21 22. The competent authority shall keep up to date for control purposes a list of the fishing vessels equipped in accordance with regulations 20 or 21 of these regulations. Fishing vessel owners to prevent contamination of fish products 23. (1) Fishing vessel owners or their representatives shall take all the measures necessary to prevent persons liable to contaminate fish products from working on hand handling them, until there is evidence that such persons can do so without risk. (2) Any person employed on board a fishing vessel shall submit himself to a medical examination by a government medical officer if the competent authority has reason to request such examination. Conditions for frozen products 24. (1) Fishing vessels having onboard freezing plants must have (a) freezing equipment sufficiently powerful to achieve a rapid reduction in the temperature so that the core temperature of -18ºC or below can be obtained in the product; (b) freezing equipment sufficiently powerful to keep products in storage rooms at a temperature not exceeding that set out in paragraph (a) above, whatever the ambient temperature may be, This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court HB69 L.N. No 18. Fish and Fish Products (Hygiene on Fishing Vessels) Provided however, for technical reasons related to the method of freezing and to the handling of such products, for whole fish frozen in brine and intended for canning, higher temperatures than those laid down in these regulations are acceptable although they may not exceed -9ºC. (2) Storage rooms on fishing vessels must have a temperature recording device in a place where it can easily be read. (3) The temperature sensor of a temperature recording device shall be located in the area furthest away from the cold source, i.e. where the temperature in the storage room is the highest. (4) Temperature charts shall be made available for inspection by the competent authority at least during the period in which the products are stored. C A GEORGE Clerk of Councils EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) The purpose of these regulations is to make additional provision for general hygiene conditions with regard to fish products handled on board fishing vessels. These additional provisions are necessary if the Competent Authority is to retain its EC accreditation.