AVA manages the Marine Fisheries Research Department (MFRD) of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC). Programmes under MFRD cover the areas of biotoxins monitoring, utilisation of freshwater fish for value-added products, as well as traceability systems for aquaculture products in ASEAN.
Traceability is a component of a food safety management system. It tracks any food, feed, food-producing animal or substance that will be used for consumption, through all stages of production, processing, and distribution. In the US and EU, traceability is now an import requirement for aquaculture products. Furthermore, as consumer awareness on food traceability grows, the demand of “traceable” food increases.
Participants from 10 ASEAN-SEAFDEC member countries, AVA, MFRD, along with Mr Hajime Kawamura (SEAFDEC Deputy Secretary-General), Mr Hidenao Watanabe (SEAFDEC Assistant Trust Fund Manager), Mr Tadahiro Kawata (SEAFDEC Technical Coordinator), and food traceability expert, Mr Vincent Andre (AETS-consultants).
On 5-7 November 2013, AVA successfully organised a second regional training workshop on traceability systems for ASEAN aquaculture products. Held in Thailand, this workshop focused on shrimps, while the first one held last year in Vietnam centred on fishes.
This workshop provided a platform for ASEAN member countries to share experiences, with an objective to enhance the region’s capability in implementing traceability systems for aquaculture products. A food traceability expert from the region, Mr Vincent Andre from AETS-consultants, was invited to provide a series of lectures and facilitate discussions during breakout sessions.
Topics such as the definitions of traceability according to Codex Alimentarius and ISO standards, as well as the market requirements to develop and implement a traceability system, were covered. In addition, a field trip was conducted, where participants studied the technical approach and structure of an electronic traceability system for shrimps put in place by the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group – one of Thailand’s largest seafood companies involved in the whole supply chain from shrimp hatchery and farming to shrimp product processing.