Seminar to Develop Fisheries Sector
Bandar Seri Begawan - The
Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, in
its efforts to further develop fisheries products for the global market,
recently organised a seminar on the strengthening of food inspection and
certification for shrimp and bivalve molluscs in Brunei Darussalam with
other Asean member countries.
The two-day seminar aimed
to deliver information relating to the importance of harmonisation and
strengthening of the food inspection system and the certification of
fisheries to two different working groups, and to gather feedback for
the upcoming Regional Review Meeting, scheduled to be held in Manila,
the Philippines in January 2008.
Hamdan Jaafar from the
Malaysian Fisheries Department was specially invited to facilitate the
seminar as well as present the guidelines, standard inspection and
certification systems, according to the international standards, while
sharing his experiences with participants.
Meanwhile, Department of
Fisheries Director Hjh Hasnah bte Ibrahim, in her opening remarks, said
the seminar will benefit the participants through capacity building in
the implementation and upgrading of the monitoring and certification
system for shrimps and bivalve molluscs.
The seminar, she said, is
also expected to upgrade the quality control system of the Fisheries
Department to meet the standard requirements of importing countries such
as the European Union.
At present, Brunei
Darussalam has successfully exported shrimps in small quantities to
countries such as Japan, Korea and the United States.
Apart from relevant
authorities involved in food inspection and certification, also present
at the seminar were representatives from the National Standard and
Accreditation Centre of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources,
which is responsible for the issuance of Hazard Analysis and Critical
Condition Point (HACCP) and Good Aquaculture Practices (GaqP)
certification for the processing establishments of the fisheries sector
to support the products manufactured for the international market.
Another working group
comprised officers and staff of the Department of Fisheries that are
involved in the inspection and monitoring activity of fishing vessels,
fish landing sites, ponds and processing establishments which produce
fisheries products for export purposes.
- Courtesy of
Borneo Bulletin -
