Cabinet Regulation No. 947 of 2005 on Welfare Requirements for the Keeping and Killing of Live Fish at Retail Trade Sites of Food Undertakings

Cabinet Regulation No. 947 of 13 December 2005, Welfare Requirements for the Keeping and Killing of Live Fish at Retail Trade Sites of Food Undertakings [shall come into force from 1 January 2006], with amending regulations of: 19 June 2007 [shall come into force from 23 June 2007]; 24 March 2009 [shall come into force from 1 April 2009]; 20 July 2010 [shall come into force from 23 July 2010]. If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the date of the amending law appears in square brackets at the end of the section. If a whole section, paragraph or clause has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted section, paragraph or clause. Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 947 Adopted 13 December 2005 Welfare Requirements for the Keeping and Killing of Live Fish at Retail Trade Sites of Food Undertakings Issued pursuant to Section 10, Clause 1 of the Animal Protection Law 1. This Regulation prescribes the welfare requirements for the keeping and killing of live fish (hereinafter – fish) at a retail trade site of a food undertaking (hereinafter – retail trade site) from the time when the fish are received until selling thereof to a consumer. 2. The implementation of the requirements of this Regulation shall be supervised and controlled by the Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter – Service). 3. The fish may be kept and killed at a retail trade site, which conforms to the requirements of this Regulation and has been registered with the Service in accordance with the requirements specified in the regulatory enactments regarding recognition and registration of activities of food undertakings. 4. The fish shall be accepted at a retail trade site on a priority basis and the time necessary for their movement from a vehicle to the fish keeping tank shall be reduced as much as possible. The difference between the water temperature in the vehicle and the tank at the retail trade site shall not exceed more than 5°C. [24 March 2009] 5. It shall be allowed to keep the fish at retail trade sites for not more than five days after the supply thereof. Carp family fish may be kept at retail trade sites for not more than seven days. After expiry of the time period for selling the unsold fish shall be killed and sold as processed or chilled fishery products. 6. The following shall be ensured for the fish at a retail trade site: 6.1. a specially equipped keeping tank: 6.1.1. with running and aerated water; 6.1.2. with one see-through (transparent) side surface. The remaining side surfaces shall not be see-through (transparent); 6.2. the keeping requirements corresponding to the species. 7. The fish shall be kept at a retail trade site in accordance with the requirements referred to in Annex to this Regulation, but the fish species not referred to in Annex – in accordance with the written information of the supplier regarding keeping and killing of the relevant fish, insofar as it is not in contradiction with the requirements of this Regulation. 8. The fish with the same keeping requirements may be kept in one keeping tank. If fish with different keeping requirements are placed in a keeping tank, the total density of the fish in the tank shall not exceed 30 kg/m 3 . 9. It shall not be allowed to keep fish from different deliveries in one keeping tank. 10. If the fish are kept in a tank, in which the water temperature exceeds 12°C, additional feeding of the fish shall be commenced not later than on the second day of keeping. If the fish are kept in a tank, in which the water temperature is from 2°C to 12°C, regular additional feeding thereof shall be commenced not later than on the third day of keeping. [24 March 2009] 11. The following is prohibited at retail trade sites of the fish: 11.1. to sell fish that has not been killed; 11.2. to kill fish if the buyer sees it; 11.3. to treat fish with medicinal products; 11.4. to remove fish scales or to injure them otherwise. 12. Methods causing immediate and irreversible loss of consciousness and death shall be used for stunning and killing of the fish. 13. The fish shall be stunned mechanically by a hammer, causing cerebral concussion. 14. After stunning when reflexes (eye movement and breathing) have disappeared and body movements have ended, the fish shall be killed before it has regained consciousness. 15. The fish shall be killed mechanically by a metal stiletto, causing cerebral concussion or separating the head. 16. An instruction for stunning and killing of fish shall be developed at a retail trade site, taking into account the method of stunning and killing of fish intended at the particular retail trade site. 17. At a retail trade site: 17.1. a person responsible for the fish (hereinafter – responsible person) shall be approved; 17.2. a limited area for killing of the fish shall be arranged. 18. The responsible person shall: 18.1. at least once a day inspect the keeping tank and evaluate the health and welfare of the fish; 18.2. remove dead and injured fish from the keeping tank without delay; 18.3. kill the fish injured during transportation and keeping and sell them as chilled fishery products; 18.4. destroy the fish which have died during transportation and keeping in accordance with the Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 October 2002 laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption; 18.5. kill the fish prior to serving out to a consumer. [19 June 2007] 19. [20 July 2010] 20. [20 July 2010] 21. A merchant, the retail trade site of which has been registered with the Service until the day of the coming into force of this Regulation, shall, by 1 March 2006, lodge a submission to the Service regarding changes in the registration certificate. 22. This Regulation shall come into force on 1 January 2006. Prime Minister A. Kalvītis Acting for the Minister of Agriculture Minister for Welfare D. Staķe Annex Cabinet Regulation No. 947 13 December 2005 Requirements for the Keeping of Fish at Retail Trade Sites of Food Undertakings [19 June 2007] No. Name of the fish Oxygen content in water (minimum and permissible O2 mg/l) Permissible density (kg/m 3 ) Permissible water temperature (C°) 1. Carp minimum - 3 up to 100 2-18 2. Silver carp, grass carp minimum - 5 70-100 5-18 3. Sturgeon minimum - 3 30-40 5-18 4. Trout minimum - 5 25-30 5-18 5. Tench minimum - 3 up to 100 2-18 6. Pike 3-5 70-100 2-18 7. Eel 2-5 70-100 2-18 8. Catfish 3-5 70-100 2-18 9. Crucian minimum - 3 50-80 2-18 Acting for the Minister of Agriculture Minister for Welfare D. Staķe