Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On 29 October 2015, the Chinese food import authorities wrote to the Irish Embassy in Beijing expressing concern about the levels of the heavy metal cadmium in live crabs coming from Ireland, which the Chinese authorities determined exceeded Chinese limits. The Chinese authorities requested that Ireland ensure only crabs which meet the Chinese standards for cadmium be permitted for export. European legislation sets a limit of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram for white muscle meat from the limbs only. The Chinese authorities are currently applying this limit to all crabmeat. I understand that crabs take in cadmium, which is a naturally occurring element, from the environment and it builds up in the brown meat of the crab to much higher levels than the white meat. I am advised by the Marine Institute that Irish waters have very low cadmium levels. It is important to bear in mind that heavy metals occur naturally at low levels in the marine environment.

In view of the Chinese request to meet this Chinese standard for live crabs, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, Ireland's competent authority for seafood safety, certification and sea-fisheries conservation, notified Irish crab exporters of the new monitoring requirements and the difficulties this would pose for the authority in providing health certificates for live Irish crabs intended for export to China. Ultimately, the implementation of food regulations for imports into China is a matter for the Chinese authorities. Ireland applies the stringent European standards and follows procedures, which include monitoring the safety of Irish seafood, so consumers can continue to have high confidence in the quality of Irish seafood.

As part of efforts to support the trade of compliant safe seafood, a memorandum of understanding is in place with the Chinese import authorities that allows for technical dialogue. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority continues to work with Chinese import control officials on this market access issue, supported by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A visit to Irish crab production and State laboratory facilities by Chinese import control officials was hosted in May 2016. Following this, there has been continuing communication between the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority and Chinese officials on this issue. The matter was further discussed between Irish and Chinese experts in the course of Ireland’s trade mission to China in September 2016. A further visit by Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority experts to China is being arranged for the near future. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, my Department and the Department of Foreign affairs and Trade are continuing strenuous efforts to secure agreement with Chinese officials for resumption of this trade at the earliest possible date.

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