As part of GMP procedures, fishing vessel owners/operators should im p le m e n t p lanne d procedures for the m onitoring o f their operations a t C ontrol Points or Inspection Points where problem s are n o te d . D e tectio n o f problem s a t th e earliest o pp ortun ity allows th e problem s to b e related to th e fa cto rs th a t ca u se d th e m a n d perm its th e m ost e ffe c tiv e a p p ro a c h to c o rre c t them .
Control or Inspection Points represent the last o pp ortun ity b e fo re an y o th e r processing takes p la c e w ith th e tuna to e va lu a te c o m p lia n c e w ith requirem ents a n d take co rre ctive a c tio n w here necessary.
For e a c h C ontrol or Inspection Point th e follow ing in form ation m ust b e specified:
1) The requirem ents th a t are b eing c o m p lie d with.
2) The standard th a t is b eing e m p lo ye d during inspection.
3) Evaluation o f th e m onitoring procedures.
4) The system for c o lle c tio n d a ta a n d record keeping.
5) D escription o f th e co rre ctive a c tio n th a t will b e im p le m e n te d w hen problem s a re discovered.
There are 11 areas in the on board handling ope ra tion o f tu n a th a t a re required to b e e x a m in e d a t co n tro l or inspection points to ensure c o m p lia n c e with GMP requirem ents. They are discussed as th e follow ing sections:
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Fish 2.3
Ice 2.4
C leaning Agents, Sanitisers, Lubricants 2.5 Vessel Design, Production Facilities 2.6
O peration & Sanitation 2.7
Process C ontrol 2.8
Fresh Storage Facilities 2.9
Frozen Storage Facilities 2.10
Final Product 2.11
Recall Procedures 2.12
Em ployee Q ualifications 2.13
In establishing th e C ontrol or Inspection Points for th e o n -b o a rd o p e ra tio n o f tuna, e a ch ow ner m ust understand w h a t hazards they are a tte m p tin g to preven t a n d the location w hereby an inspection or co n tro l p ro ce d u re will provide th e best opp ortun ity to co n tro l th e hazard.
A flow c h a rt a n d ta b le are found in sections 2.2.1 an d 2.2.2. They provid e an overview o f w here inspection or co n tro l points for e a c h item m a y b e established.
Section 2.2.3 is a form for setting up an individual IQMP program .
Annex 5 provides specific inform ation regarding th e p o te n tia l c ritic a l co n tro l points for th e o n -b o a rd han dling o f fresh/frozen tuna.
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2.2.1 Process Flowchart for Inspection or Control Points
2.2.2 Potential Inspectton/Control Points
ITEM HAZARDS CONTROL POINTS
Fish Health & safety risks ta in te d ,
d e c o m p o s e d , unw holesom e tuna d e a d , n o n -c o m p lia n c e
Prior to processing, b e fo re c a tc h in g
Ice C o n ta m in a tio n o f tu n a unsafe, u n cle a n
Prior to use w hen receive d, during use
C lean ing Agents Sanitisers
C o n ta m in a tio n o f tu n a with un a p p ro ve d unsafe ch e m ica ls
Prior to use, w hen receive d, during a p p lic a tio n
Vessel Design Production Facilities
C o n ta m in a tio n to tu n a d u e to poo r design o f vessel
Prior to fishing, during fishing
O peration &
Sanitation
C o n ta m in a tio n to tuna d u e to p o o r o p e ra tio n & sanitation p ra c tic e
Prior to c a tc h in g , during ope ra tion, d a ily inspection
Process C ontrol Production o f tuna th a t d o n 't co m p ly with safety quality, w holesom eness &/or fair tra d e requirem ents
During o p e ra tio n -washing, cle a n in g , co o lin g , icin g , & /or freezing
Fresh Storage Facilities
D ecom position or co n ta m in a tio n o f tu n a d u e to p o o r storage
During o p e ra tio n o f fish hole
Frozen Storage Facilities
D ecom position or c o n ta m in a tio n o f tuna d u e to p o o r storage
During o p e ra tio n o f blast free zer/cold storage Final P roduct P roduction o f tuna th a t d oe s not
c o m p ly with safety, qu a lity &
w holesom eness & fair tra d e requirem ents
Prior to u n load ing o f fresh/frozen tuna
Recall Procedure U nable to tra c e tuna to processor During unload ing, shipping Em ployee
Q ualifications
Production o f tuna posing health &
safety risk
Prior to start u p skilled fishery Personnel
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2.2.3
IDENTIFICATION O F CO NTRO L POINTS
T y p e o f O p e r a tio n :____________________________________________________________
C heck o ff those item s which will b e m e n tio n e d a t a co n tro l p o in t a n d id e n tify w here/w hen th e p o in t o f tim e th e in sp e ctio n will occur.
ITEMS POINT O F TIME O F INSPECTION
Fish Ic e
C le a n in g A g e n ts , S a n itise rs L u b ric a n ts
V e sse l D e s ig n , P ro d u c tio n F a c ilitie s
O p e ra tio n & S a n ita tio n P ro c e s s C o n tro l
F resh S to ra g e F a c ilitie s F in a l P ro d u c t
E m p lo y e e Q u a lific a tio n s
Refer to the section in d ic a te d fo r com p le tio n o f those co n tro l p o in ts th a t h a v e b e e n c h e c k e d off.
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2.3.1 Requirements
Under GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES the following requirem ents are to b e follow ed by th e fishing vessel ow ner/operator, an d crew.
1) No person shall take on boa rd th e fishing vessel any tu n a th a t is d e co m p o se d , ta in te d or unw holesom e.
2) W hen tuna is taken abo ard the vessel it is required to b e b le e d properly.
3) After bleeding, the g u t m aterial m ust be rem oved. No tuna is to b e kept on b o a rd o f fishing vessel w ithout being properly g u tte d a n d w ashed.
4) The gills from all tuna are to b e rem oved properly.
5) Tuna should be p la c e d in an insulated co n ta in e r co n ta in in g tw o parts c le a n safe ice a n d o n e p a rt cle a n safe salt w ater. The tuna should rem ain in this tank until th e co re te m p e ra tu re reaches 0°C.
6) After chilling, tuna intended for the fresh m arket m ust b e p la c e d into th e fish hole. The belly o f th e tuna m ust be p a cke d co m p le te ly w ith g o o d cle a n ice. The exterior skin must be com pletely covered with tuna p a p e r to p ro te c t th e outer surface.
7) After chilling, tuna destined for freezing m ust b e p la c e d in blast freezer either suspended by the head or p la c e d fla t with h ea d first into blast air flow.
8) Every vessel is required to keep a record o f e a c h day's c a tc h . The inform ation th a t is required is as follows:
A) The areas th a t w ere fished during th e trip.
B) The num ber o f fishing hooks used or lines used e a c h day.
C) The num ber o f live tuna la nded e a c h day.
D) The num be r o f d e a d tuna la n d e d e a c h day.
E) The num ber o f discard tuna for e a c h day.
F) The num ber a nd kinds of other fish c a u g h t w hile fishing tuna, for e a c h day,
G) There m ust be a fish hole ch a rt showing th e list o f e a c h day's ca tch , where they are stowed in the hole so as to ensure th a t the oldest tuna c a n b e kept sepa ra te from th e fresh tuna.
H) There m ust be a log showing th e m onitoring o f th e te m p e ra tu re o f th e tuna as it is being p la c e d in th e fish hole. Also there m ust b e a log to show th e tem peratures o f th e frozen tuna being rem oved from th e blast for storage in c o ld storage.
Any equipm ent th a t is used in th e processing o f tuna th a t is d a m a g e d or ca n cause any d a m a g e or c o n ta m in a tio n to th e tuna, c a n n o t b e used.
All fish handling equipm ent such as knives, chutes, fish conveyors, fish washers, ta b le s a n d utensils, shall b e o f sm ooth, non-absorbent, non -co rrodible m ate rials. If w o od is to c o m e in c o n ta c t with th e tuna, it m ust b e free from cracks and crevices and constructed in such a m anner th a t it c a n b e properly cle a n e d .
The c o n ta c t surface o f th e fish h a tch m ust b e properly co n stru cte d so as it is of proper size, The c o n ta c t surface in th e fish hole m ust b e properly insulated.