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SUBJECT: EXPORTS OF FRESH AND FROZEN SALMONIDS TO AUSTRALIA

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) recently issued the attached Animal Quarantine Policy Memorandum (AQPM) 2000/26 (download in Adobe pdf format), which came into effect on 1 June 2000. This document outlines new quarantine policies for fresh and frozen salmonids, and replaces those previously issued for these types of products in AQPM 1999/51 of July 19, 1999 and AQPM 1999/69, of October 20, 1999.

To summarize these new requirements:

(1) an exporting country must first be approved by AQIS. The Canadian system is approved;

(2) The importer in Australia must obtain an import permit from AQIS and will be granted permission to import based on the conditions specified on the permit. Different conditions for the importer may be specified on the permit based on whether the product is for retail sale or direct retail sale or commercial processing.

• Product is considered to be for direct retail sale or retail sale when each piece is in an individual sleeve in a carton of any size OR many pieces are in a plastic bag in a carton of 60 lb/27.3 kg or less. (Note - there is no limit on the NUMBER of cartons)
• Product is considered to be for commercial processing when bulk-packed (i.e. not in individual sleeves) in containers greater than 60 lb or 27.3 kg.
• There is a new check-box on the certificate, in order that importers and authorities in Australia may determine into which category (direct retail sale, retail sale or commercial processing) the product falls.
• Please note that at a minimum - product must be in a HEAD OFF, GILL-OUT, AND EVISCERATED FORM.

(3) Canadian processors must meet the following requirements (in addition to the Fish Inspection Regulations) in order that product may be certified by a CFIA inspector:

• the product must be in, at least, a head off, gill out and gutted form;
• fish must be thoroughly washed (internally and externally), inspected and graded under the plant's QMP. The product must be free from visible lesions associated with infectious disease and fit for human consumption;
• fish must not be juvenile salmonids or sexually mature adults/spawners;
• fish were not derived from a population slaughtered as an official disease control measure
• the product was harvested from an area where a fish health surveillance program is administered by either DFO or the province (DFO has advised that this applies to all areas of Canada)
• for Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout, the fish did not come from a farm infected by or officially suspected of being infected by the infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) or waters within 10 km or one tidal interchange of an infected farm.****

***Please note that Canadian authorities are continuing to work with Australia on this ISAV provision, with the objective to seeing it removed, based on Canada's fish health management program. That is why the latest certificate, dated 26 July 2000 continues to have a title of "INTERIM" Health Certificate. AQIS has agreed that it will be removed when the issue of ISAV certification is resolved.

Regional CFIA offices have a copy of the new certificate, titled CFIA/ACIA 000726 in the bottom left corner of the document (attached). Interested exporters should contact their local CFIA office to arrange for certification, as per normal procedures.

Exporters are also invited to contact their local office should they have any questions or concerns with these new procedures, or if they experience any unusual difficulties related to this new procedure. Local offices may direct these enquires to Headquarters for consideration by the inter-departmental working group.

Cameron Prince
Director
Fish, Seafood and Production Division

Enclosure: AQIS Animal Quarantine Policy Memorandum (AQPM) 2000/26 (in Adobe PDF format)

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service Web site