Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he is satisfied regarding quality control, production, processing, labelling, traceability and hygiene throughout the fish food industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14594/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Responsibility for co-ordinating the enforcement of food legislation in Ireland rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and is discharged by Official Agencies which operate under Service Contract to the authority. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority and the Marine Institute act as Official Agencies under service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and enforce the relevant seafood Regulations. A framework for the prevention and control of aquatic diseases in aquaculture facilities is set out in Council Directive 2006/88/EC. This Directive has been transposed into Irish law by SI No. 261 of 2008, as amended. Under this legislation, every Aquaculture Production Business in the country must be authorised by the Marine Institute. To become authorised, the operator must retain mortality records and records of movements of live and dead fish to and from the farm. He must also implement adequate bio-security practices.

Record keeping, bio-security measures and the clinical health of the animals on the site are assessed as part of the inspection regime which is implemented on aquaculture sites by Marine Institute or Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Veterinary Inspectors. Sites are inspected annually or biennially, depending on the risk of disease spread. In addition, all movements of live animals to and from aquaculture sites in Ireland must be pre-approved by the Marine Institute, to ensure traceability and for disease control purposes. Further to the statutory provisions outlined above, all Aquaculture Production Businesses which farm salmonids have signed up to a Code of Practice and are implementing the provisions of the Farmed Salmonid Health Handbook, which outline best practice in relation to the farming of salmon and trout in Ireland. A combination of the statutory requirements under the legislation and the adherence to the Code of Practice and the handbook ensures the animal health and welfare standards adhered to by the Irish Aquaculture industry are among the highest in Europe.

The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority carries out its official controls in accordance with the relevant EU and National legislation on an ongoing basis from boat up to but excluding retail level; for example, on fishing vessels, in shellfish production areas and in establishments handling preparing and processing seafood. The Health Service Executive has responsibility for official controls in the retail sector while the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine carries out routine inspections of aquaculture farms. There is ongoing official control monitoring of primary producers - fishing vessels and aquaculture production areas. All seafood establishments are registered by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. In addition, those handling fishery products are approved by the authority. Both registered and approved sea food establishments are inspected at a determined frequency based on a risk assessment. Official control checks carried out by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority include quality checks of the produce, food safety management system checks, hygiene and structural checks of establishments preparing or processing seafood, labelling and traceability. Official control samples of produce are also taken if necessary to verify the effectiveness of food business operators' food safety management systems.