Directive No. (2/98) on Minimum hygiene conditions for on board fishing vessels

• 4 Government of the Union of Myanmar Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries DEPAR.TMENT OF FISHERIES DIRECTIVE No. (2/98) August 3, l 998 In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 23 of the Myanma Marine Fisheries Law 1990, the Director General of the Department of Fisheries hereby issues; the following Directive for the Minimum hygiene condition for on board fishing vessels. Minimum hygiene condition for on board fishing vessels I . I The general hygiene conditions laid down in Annex I shall apply to fishery products handled on board fishing vessels. 1.2 Th.e additiona\ h)lglene conditions laid down in Annex II shalt apply to fishing vessels designed and equipped to preserve fishery products on board under satisfa<:.tory conditions for more than twenty-four hours, other than those equipped for keeping fish, she11fish and molluses alive without otiter means of conservation on board. 2 .1 Any licence-bolder for the processing of fish and fishery products shall abide by this Directive as one of the conditions of the licence. 2.2 On violation of the any terms or conditions of the Directive, criminal action may be taken under Section 45 of the Myanma Marine Fishery Law 1990 and the licence-holder may also be liable to suspension, revocation, termination and cancellation of the licence under Section 24 of the said law. Sd xx Soe Win Director General Department of Fisheries. S ANNEX I General hygiene conditions applicable to fishery products on board fishing vessels l . The section of vessels or the containers reserved for the storage of fishery products must not contain objects or products liable to transmit harmful properties or abnonnal 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 fishery products. 2. When used, the section of vessels of the containers reserved for the storage of fishery 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. 'l. As soon as they are taken on board, the fishery products must be protected finn contamination and from the effects of the sun or an-y other source of heat. When they are washed, the water used must be either fresh water complying with the parameter set out in Directive No. (5/98) or clean seawater, so as not to impair their quality or wholesomeness. 4. The fishery products shall be handled and stored in such a way as to prevent bruising. The use of spjked instruments shall be tolerated for the moving oflarge fish or fish which might injure the handler, provided the flesh of these products is not damaged. 5. Fishery products other than those kept alive must undergo cold treatment as soon as possible after loading. However, in the case of fishing vessels, where cooling is not possible i'om a practicable roint of view, the fishery products must not be kept on board for more than eight hours. 6. Ice used for the chilling of products must be made from potable water or clean seawater. Before use, it must be stored under conditions which prevent its contamination. 7. After the fishery products have been unloaded, the containers, equipment and sections of vessels which are directly in contact- with the fishery products must be cleaned with potable water or clean seawater. S. Where fish is headed and/or gutted on board, such operations must be earned out hygienically and the products must be washed immediately and thoroughly with potable water or clean seawater. The viscera and parts which may pose a threat to public health must be removed and set apart from product intended for human consumption. Livers and rose intended for human consumption must be refrigerated or frozeQ. 9. Equipment used for gutting, heading and the removal of fins, and containers and equipment in contact with the fishery prodcuts, must be made of or coated with a material which is waterproof, resistant to decay, smooth and easy to cleam and disinfect. When used by they must be completely clean. 10. Staff assigned to the handling of fishery products shall be required to maintain a high standard of cleanliness for themselves and their clothes. . 7. ANNEX Il Additional hygiene eonditions applicable to the fishing vessels referred to in clause l.2 l. Fishing vessels must be equipped with holds, tanks or containers for the storage ofrefrigerated or frozen fishery products at the temperature laid down by DOF Directive 8/96 clause 30. l. These holds shal1 be separated form the machinery space and the quarters reserved for the crew by partitions which are sufficiently impervious to prevent any contamination of the stored fishery products. 2. The inside smface of the holds. tanks or containers shall be waterproof and easy to wash and disinfect. It shall consist of a smooth material or, failing that, smooth paint maintained in good condition not being capable of transmitting to the fishe1y products substances harmful to human health. 3. The holds shall be designed to ensure that melt water cannot remain in contact with the fishery products. 4. Containers used for the storage of products must their preservation under satisfactory conditions of hygiene and, in particular, allow drainage of melt water. When used they must be completely clean. S. The working decks, The equipment and the holds, tanks and containers shall be cleaned each time they are used. Drinking water or clean seawater shall be used for th.is purpose. Disinfection, the removal of insects or rat extemination shall be carried whenever necessary. 6. Cleaning products insectieides and aU potentia11y toxic substances shall be stored in locked poremises or cupboards. Their use must not present any risk of contamination of the fishery products. 7. lf fishery products are forzen on board this operation must be carried out in accordance with the conditions in point 8 ofthis Annex 11. . 8. 8. Condition for frozen products: (i) Plants must be (a) freezing equipment sufficiently powerful to achieve a I apid reduction in the temperature so that the temperatures laid. down in this Directive can be obtained in the product; (b) freezing equipment sufficiently powerful to keep products in storage rooms at a temperature not exceeding those laid down in Division VJ of DOF Direclive (8.:96), whatever the ambient tempemater may be. 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 temperature than those laid down in Division VI of DOF Directive (8. 96) are ac.ceptable although they may not exceed ~9° C. (ii) Storage rooms must have a temperature recording device in a place where it can easily be read. The temperature sensor of the recorder must be located in the area furthest away ftom the cold source. i.e. where the temperature in the storage room is the highest. Temperature charts must be available for inspection by the supervisory authorities at least during the period in which the products are stored. 9. Vessels equipped for chilling of fishery products in cooled seawater either chi\\ed by ice. {CSW) or refrigerated by mechanical means (RSW), snail compiy with the fo11owing requirements: (a.) tanks must be equipped with adequate seawater filling and drainage installations and must incorporate devices for achieving uniform temperature throughout the tanks. • 9 (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 t.hi\\ing rate whi.ch ensure the mix of fish and seawater reaches ! ° 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 recording which must kept available for the controJ authorities. 9. The competent authority shall keep up to date for control purpose a list of the vessels equipped in accordance with point 7 or 8 with the exception however of vessels equipped with removable containers which without prejudice to point S, second sentence of Annex I, are not engaged regularly in preserving fish in chilled seawater. 10. Shipowner~ or their representatives shall take all the measures necessary to prevent pe~ons liable to contaminate fishery products from working on hand handling them, until there is evidence that such person can do so without risk. The routine medical monitoring of such person shall be governed by the national laws in force in the Myanmar.