BIM RESPONSIBLY SOURCED STANDARD
PART 1
STANDARD INFORMATION
Issue No 2
Revision 2
May 2012
Page 1 of 6
The Responsible Sourced Standard
The BIM (Bord Iascaigh Mhara) Responsibly Sourced Standard provides the fishing industry
and the consumer of wild caught Irish seafood with a ‘Certification of Best Practice’.
The Standard is designed to promote consumer confidence in the fishing methods used by
Irish fishermen and those who handle Irish fish, from the time of capture to the point of sale.
It is the direct result of pro-active discussions and interaction with fishermen, packers,
processors, markets, regulators, standards and certification experts. It reflects the
awareness of an ever-perceptive public and provides a platform from which the practices of
the industry can be measured.
Collectively, three Standards comprise a product certification system that is in the process of
accreditation by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) to the internationally
recognized ISO Guide 65 (EN 45011) standard. As such the standards are independent and
third-party certified and they are regarded as best practice globally.
BIM’s Responsibly Sourced Standard is composed of certification standards that are based on
international best fishing practices, derived from the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisations’ Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and other European and
international best practice initiatives. As such the Standard has a broad base of similarity
with other standards including that of the Marine Stewardship Standard as they are both
built upon the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing.
BIM’s Responsibly Sourced Standard has been developed in conjunction with independent,
competent bodies, in particular an accredited Certification Body and relevant stakeholders
through technical committees under the governance of BIM, the standard owner. In addition
the BIM Standard is designed to meet the requirements prescribed by international seafood
buyers and also by environmental stakeholder groups.
The Objectives of the BIM Responsibly Sourced Standard
1 ) To contribute to the creation of wealth and employment in fishery-dependent regions in
Ireland.
2 ) To promote the continuation of traditional, professional fishing activities.
3 ) To promote the provision of high-quality seafood in the domestic and export markets of
Irish seafood.
4 ) To promote the contribution of seafood to enhanced food security in both the domestic
and export markets of Irish seafood.
5 ) To contribute to the conservation of fish and shell fish stocks exploited by Standard
members.
6 ) To promote and advertise existing good fishing and other environmentally focused
practices by Standard Members.
7 ) To develop a culture of responsible fishing, stewardship of the marine environment and
quality focussed production amongst Standard members.
8 ) To provide standards of conduct for those involved in the production and sale of wild
caught seafood.
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9 ) To promote the participation and co-operation of Standard members in the provision of
data towards a deeper understanding of the social and economic conditions of the fishing
industry, to promote improved scientific knowledge, to promote equitable and transparent
control and enforcement and to promote the overall implementation of the Common
Fisheries Policy.
10 )To promote equitable, safe and appropriate working conditions on board fishing vessels
and onshore intermediaries’ through the supply chain.
Structure of the Standard
The Responsibly Sourced Standard comprises three integrated Standards:
1 ) A Fishing Vessel Standard;
2 ) An Onshore Handling Standard for intermediaries through to the supply chain;
3 ) A Chain of Custody Standard that underpins the provenance and traceability guarantees
provided by the programme.
Table 1: Responsibly Sourced Standard
Vessel
Onshore
Supply Chain
Fishing Vessel Standard
Onshore Seafood Handling
and Quality Standard
Chain Of Custody Standard
Detailing Responsible
Catching, Handling, and
Care of the Catch for fishing
vessels
Detailing Good Product
Handling Practices, Good
Environmental practice,
Product Quality and
Traceability of Products
Detailing Chain of Custody
of Products
Annexes
Detailing more specific
criteria for responsible
fishing of the specific
species group
Each standard is designed to be practical and pragmatic to implement, and each provides a
means to bring together the many aspects of best practice currently commonplace in the
industry. This is a robust, common sense, practical and cost-effective approach allowing
fishermen to meet criteria which have been developed from the Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and European Union (EU)
initiatives as criteria for credible certification.
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Key Components
Each of the standards
tandards in the BIM Responsibly Sourced Standard contains key components
which together ensure the overall aims
aim of the Programme: Responsible Fishing
(Environmental Management)
gement), Care of the Catch, Traceability, and Training
raining and A
Awareness
(Figure 1).
Figure 1 Key components of the
th BIM Responsibly Sourced Standard
Care of
the Catch
Traceability
Chain Of
Custody
Responsibly
Sourced
Standard
Responsible
Fishing
Practices
Environmental
Management
Training and
Awareness
Seafood Environmental Management System (sEMS)
At the heart of the Standard is the development and implementation of the sEMS, tailored
to the individual requirements and operating circumstances of each vessel participating in
the Standard. The Fishing Vessel Standard requires successful applicants to have an
operational BIM Seafood Environmental Management System (BIM’s
(BIM’s sEMS
sEMS) at the time of
audit. In particular applicants are required to document their environmental management
actions and provide appropriate evidence using the BIM sEMS manual.

The BIM’s sEMS is a tool that helps operators describe the environmental challenges
and responsibilities that they face,
face it outlines the management and mitigation
measures that they currently or will employ in the future to address these
challenges.

It is designed
d to give insight into many important aspects of a seafood business, to
provide a framework for managing risks using the most efficient cost effective
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measures, to assist the management of legal compliance and of performance
requirements.

It is based on the idea of continuous improvement following a simple ‘Plan, Do,
Check, Act’ model reviewed at appropriate intervals. sEMS operators must
continuously quantify their current levels of performance and thereafter
systematically work towards realistic and achievable improvements for the future.

BIM’s sEMS can be readily implemented by an industry group, such as a fishermen's
co-operative, a group of fishermen with common interests, or an individual fishing
vessel. The process is the same although some of the tasks may vary depending on
the size of a group.

In general a BIM’s sEMS is developed, initially, at a group level. This ensures that the
final sEMS is co-managed by individual operators (fishermen) acting together.
Operators may be assisted by an industry based mentor, a BIM facilitator, and
relevant onshore intermediaries (co-operatives, producer organisations and other
appropriate entities).

A group approach i) enables operators to identify and develop a shared
understanding of the issues affecting their activities, ii) enables operators to agree
the scope and scale of their response iii) enables operators to identify and reduce
risk in a coordinated way, and, iv) enables operators to maximize opportunities from
their sEMS.
BIM’s sEMS is built on 11 key actions:
1. Determining a vision and deciding where you want your industry and business to
be in the future.
2. Outlining a scope - determining the activities that will be covered in your sEMS.
3. Setting up a sEMS Management Team - determining who will be responsible for
the implementation and review of your sEMS.
4. Developing a policy – a commitment to address your key impacts on the
environment.
5. Identifying business aspects - developing a clear picture of your business
activities to help define your risks and opportunities.
6. Identifying and assessing risks by planning to manage your own risks,
Countermeasures can be put in place to offset negative impacts before they
materialise, or to capitalise on positive opportunities.
7. Taking action - deciding on actions and making them happen.
8. Setting Objectives and Targets - identifying how progress will be measured.
9. Monitoring - checking progress towards targets and policy objectives.
10. Reviewing - verifying claims and checking performance.
11. Communicating - telling the story, celebrating success and promoting
achievements.
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Definitions
Applicant:
A vessel, company or group of companies in the supply chain that
has formally applied to meet the BIM Standard through the
formal application form.
Certified Applicant:
An applicant vessel, company or group of companies that have
been formally certified by the Certification Body as meeting the
BIM Standard.
Certified Vessel:
A fishing vessel that has been independently certified as meeting
the “BIM Responsibly Sourced Standard”.
Chain of Custody:
The set of measures which is designed to guarantee that the
seafood product is really a product of designated origin and
coming from the certified vessel concerned. These measures thus
cover both the tracking/traceability of the product all along the
processing, distribution and marketing chain, as well as the
proper tracking of the documentation and control of the quantity
concerned.1
The Standard:
The list of requirements that the applicant must meet to claim
certification to the Standard and /or use the certified claim.
Certified Chain:
An applicant company or group of companies in the supply chain
that can demonstrate all certified stages back to the certified
fishing vessel.
Certified Claim:
A claim made by a certified applicant approved for use and
licensed by the Standards Owner.
Identification Number:
A certificate number issued to each certified applicant.
Stage:
A handling / transfer point in the supply chain e.g. vessel, packing,
processing, distribution and sales.
1
FAO Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries,
Rome 2005 and Revision 1 2009
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BIM RESPONSIBLY SOURCED STANDARD
PART 2
FISHING VESSEL STANDARD
Issue No 2
Revision 2
May 2012
Page 1 of 14
The Certification Process
Applicants to the BIM Responsibly Sourced Fishing Vessel Standard are required to enter into
a two year continuous review process to achieve and maintain certification.
Year 1 – All applicants undergo a full audit
Year 2 –All applicants undergo a surveillance review
Year 3 – All applicants undergo a full audit
The audit will involve, in every case, an inspection of the fishing vessel or onshore
establishment that wishes to operate to the standard.
In the case of a fishing vessel the audit will also involve an inspection of the BIM sEMS
manual and relevant records, documents, and associated handling processes.
All applicants are required to meet all clauses of the relevant standard as well as any
annex(es) before certification can be achieved.
Applicants should note that while a fishing vessel is being audited rather than the product,
the standard includes specific guarantees of product quality that applicants must achieve.
Therefore the fishing vessel audit will involve a review of the quality records for the vessel.
Stages of the Certification Process
Stage 1 Information Request
Applicants should request information from BIM or the Certification Body. This includes
information about the certification process, the standard requirements, the outline costs and
the timeframe to gain certification.
An applicant may be one vessel or a group of fishing vessels.
Applicants are advised to carry out a self-assessment against the relevant standard in order
to ascertain their readiness for external audit.
Stage 2 Operational plan
To progress to a full application interested parties will be requested to formally provide
information to the Certification Body on their operation(s).
In the case of a fishing vessel or group of vessels the full application will include a plan
detailing the scope of their sEMS and intended operations, including the fisheries and species
for which they require certification, and the supply chain route intended for certified seafood
products.
Using the information provided, the Certification Body will construct an audit plan specific to
each applicant. This will incorporate all aspects of the relevant main fishing vessel standard
and species annex (es).
The Certification Body will take into account the varied nature of fishing vessels (particularly
in the inshore sector) and will prepare an audit plan based on individual applicant
requirements.
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The Certification Body will provide the applicant with an audit cost based on the
information provided in the application form.
When the applicant formally agrees to the audit plan and forwards payment for the
associated audit, the application will then move into the audit process.
Stage 3 The Audit
Auditing of all applicants for the Responsibly Sourced Standard is managed by an
independent, INAB accredited, Certification Body.
The Certification Body will provide a panel of independent assessors who are regionally
based and who will carry out the audit.
In every case the independent assessor shall be approved by and act on behalf of the
Certification Body.
The applicant may object to an assessor(s) that has been appointed from the approved
assessor panel; however the final decision on the assessor will be made by the Certification
Body.
Each audit will be carried out against the appropriate standard and annex (es) of the
Responsibly Sourced Standard in line with the audit plan.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the information supplied during the
application process is factual and accurate so that the audit plan remains relevant.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that there is access to the vessel, access to
appropriate information, access to relevant crew members, access to relevant documents of
vessel activity and to seafood landed by the vessel.
The Certification Body’s assessor will carry out the audit in an independent, professional and
courteous manner.
The audit will include review of product quality records and may include inspection of
product when available on the vessel or at a nearby location which is the point of first sale,
for example auction house or Cooperative sales agency.
Stage 4 The Audit Report
During an audit the assessor will compile an audit report setting out how each applicant
does/does not meet (conform) to the relevant standard and annex (es). Specifically, the
audit report will identify any non-conformance.
Applicants will be required to close non-conformances through the submission of corrective
actions and these must, subsequently, be accepted by the assessor.
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Stage 5 The Certification Decision
The applicant’s audit report and any necessary corrective actions will be submitted to a
certification committee for a certification decision.
The Certification Committee is composed of persons with similar competence to the assessor
and with expertise in certification.
Stage 6 Certification Process
Where certification is the outcome, certificates must be issued within 14 days after the
decision date. In the event that this cannot be achieved, the Certification Body must formally
write to the applicant stating a prospective date of issue and the reasons for the delay.
The Certification Body is the owner of the certificate. The Certification Body maintains
control, status and management of the certificate throughout its validity.
Table 1: BIM Responsibly Sourced Standard Fishing Vessel Audit Frequency
Application
Process
Year 1
Enquiry
Initial Full Audit
Application
Onboard
Inspection
Operational
Plan
Year 2
Surveillance
Review
Year 3
Full Audit
Year 4
Surveillance
Review
Onboard
Inspection
sEMS/Document
Review
sEMS/Document
Review
sEMS/Document
Review
sEMS/Document
Review
Seafood
Quality Review
Seafood
Quality Review
Seafood
Quality Review
Seafood
Quality Review
Audit Plan
Certificates are valid for up to two years with a surveillance review during the second year of
the process. See Table 1.
Every qualifying vessel is subject to a full audit in year 1 including onboard inspection of the
vessel, its fishing operation, product quality record review, sEMS and relevant document
review, followed by alternate annual surveillance to maintain the validity of the certificate.
A full audit is conducted again at a date specified in year 3.
Certification will not be awarded where any non-conformance or payment remains
outstanding.
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Surveillance Review
Under the terms of the certification contract the certified vessel is subject to a surveillance
review in year 2 and a prearranged date will be set by the Certification Body. If a certified
vessel fails to provide sufficient evidence to satisfy the surveillance review then the vessel
will be subject to a full audit, certification may be immediately revoked.
The following information shall be reviewed as a main part of the surveillance review and a
surveillance report subsequently provided to the certification committee.






Original Operational plan and Audit plan
Previous Certification Report
sEMS Manual
Records, Documentations and Procedures
Vessel Registration, and License
Quality Check of Vessel Product
Certification is maintained where there is substantive and demonstrable evidence that the
applicant remains in compliance with the criteria of the standard. Any non-conformances
raised must be verified as closed, with objective evidence within timescales defined within
the relevant schemes.
In the event that there are substantial changes to the applicant’s vessels, product or
management system, or relevant enforcement orders against the applicant these must be
notified in writing to the Certification Body immediately. The Certification Body will then
notify the relevant certification committee to assess the status of the certification against
these changes. The certification will only be withdrawn if the applicant is not able to meet
the relevant standard or conditions of the programme. The applicant will be notified in 10
working days of this decision.
In the event that an applicant requests an extension to the fishing scope outside that
previously established in the operational plan and the audit plan, then another application
and a revised operational plan (through a regional facilitator) will be required. The
Certification Body will then formulate a revised audit plan. This may be used at the
surveillance review or in the event of a full audit.
Appeals
The applicant has the right to appeal the certification decision of the certification
committee. Appeals should be made in writing within fourteen days of the certification
decision. Appeals are made to the Quality Manager of the Certification Body.
A full response will be given by the Quality Manager who is independent of the assessor and
certification committee.
Cost Structure
The audit costs for the initial audit year and for subsequent surveillance years can be
discussed on application.
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Fishing Vessel Standard Criteria
1
Responsible Practices - Environmental Management
Introduction
This section allows fishing vessel operators to demonstrate their commitment to reducing
potential risks to the environment and to demonstrate how they are managing risks.
Applicants must also refer to the relevant Annex (es) for species specific requirements for
responsible practices.
Applicants can refer to the following publications and websites for guidance:
BIM Seafood Environmental Management System Manual for the Irish Catching Sector
BIM website Environmental Pages: http://www.bim.ie/templates/environment.htm
BIM Biodegradation timeline poster: http://www.bim.ie/templates/environment.htm
The National Parks Wildlife Service(NPWS) website for information on Biodiversity and
Protected Sites http://www.npws.ie
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website for information on environmental
liability, waters, waste and emission licenses http://www.epa.ie/environment
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Website for information on energy
use and management http://www.seai.ie
1.1
Environmental Stewardship
1.1.1 Applicants must comply with relevant EU and National Fishery Management measures,
which may include; Total Allowable Catch and quota allocations, effort management
measures (e.g. days at sea, limited access, gear restrictions, etc), and technical conservation
measures (e.g. minimum landing sizes, mesh size and other gear selectivity measures).The
applicant must be able to show effort management measures or technical conservation
measures as applicable to the area of operation and must have a signed gear declaration
indicating that the gear deployed is in keeping with the requirements of the Standard.
The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of responsibilities in accordance with relevant
EU and National Environmental legislation, where applicable.
1.1.2 Applicants must be aware of their quota allocation (where relevant) for each species
and International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) area.
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1.1.3 Applicants must comply with relevant waste management and pollution control
legislation relevant to the vessel type and harbours that the vessel berths or unloads in. The
applicant must follow a documented procedure that specifies their policy and practice on
the control of discharges and waste at sea, including at a minimum;
1.1.3.1 Procedure to dispose of oily waste
1.1.3.2 Procedure to ensure safe efficient handling and storage of vessel rubbish.
1.1.4 The applicant must demonstrate continued commitment to environmental
responsibility through the formulation, implementation and documentation of the BIM
Seafood Environmental Management System (sEMS) or equivalent EMS system. Equivalence
of a sEMS must be demonstrated by the applicant and approved by the Standard Owner.
One person must be nominated (ideally the Master) to be responsible for the overall
implementation and maintenance of the BIM sEMS. The Master or the nominee of the
Master with responsibility must be the signatory on the scoping document of the EMS.
1.1.5 The applicant must have the relevant elements of the sEMS manual completed to
demonstrate continued commitment to the sEMS, where relevant, under the following
aspects:
1.1.5.1 Operational Details
1.1.5.2 Risk Assessment Worksheets
1.1.5.3 Systems Documentation
1.1.5.4 Records
1.1.5.5 Document Files.
1.1.6 As a minimum, the applicant must have a risk assessment, setting out clear, mitigating,
responsible actions of the vessel under the following aspects:
1.1.6.1 Provisioning/Purchasing/Procurement
1.1.6.2 Fuelling Operations and Maintenance
1.1.6.3 Fuel Efficiency, Energy and Emissions
1.1.6.4 Fishing Practices
1.1.6.5 Waste Management
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1.1.6.6 Marine Debris and Litter
1.1.6.7 Transport
1.1.6.8 Fisheries Management and Conservation Measures
1.1.6.9 Communication and Public Perception.
1.1.7 The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of responsibilities in accordance with
relevant EU and National Environmental legislation where applicable. At minimum vessels
must keep a log of threatened, endangered or protected species encountered during fishing
operations.
1.1.8 Applicants must, as appropriate, contribute to the development of scientific
understanding of the biology and the ecological characteristics of fishing grounds and the
habitats that may be affected by their fishing activities.
Such contribution may be through1:
 Provision of appropriate fisheries data to scientific establishments and management
organisations
 Facilitation of scientific surveys
 Participation in voluntary observer programmes
 Maintenance of an Encountered Threatened Endangered and Protected Species
record (interactions and observations)
 Attendance at meetings with scientists and fishery managers
 Participate in v-notching program for vessels engaged in lobster pot fishing.
1May
be documented in sEMS.
Page 8 of 14
2
Seafood Quality - Care of the Catch
Introduction
This section details the obligations of a fishing vessel under the Standard with regard to the
handling and storage of fish and fish products at sea and during landing. Applicants must
also refer to the Annex(es) for species specific requirements for handling and storage.
2.1 Basic Vessel Requirements
2.1.1 The layout of fish handling areas must be constructed and designed to prevent the
contamination of fish from bilge water, sewage, smoke, foreign bodies and food or any
contamination sources. A documented flow diagram, which explains the system of operation
onboard the vessel and a deck layout diagram, must be available.
2.1.2 The vessel must use fresh seawater or freshwater which is uncontaminated and
eliminates the risk of contamination of product.
2.1.3 Areas, surfaces and equipment (including knives) used to handle, clean, gut, sort and
store fish must be made from durable, non-toxic material and be kept clean at all times.
2.1.4 Only fresh, good quality, flake, crushed or slush ice (for certain species) made from
clean seawater or potable (drinkable) fresh water must be used. Ice must be stored on board
in a manner that protects it from contamination.
2.1.5 There must be cleaning records appropriate to the activity of the vessel in operation.
2.1.6 All vessels with the exception of small open boats must provide staff sanitation and
washing facilities.
2.2 Handling and Storage
2.2.1 Personnel must have appropriate, clean and washable protective clothing and must
keep gloves and hands clean when handling fish.
2.2.2 Plastic fish boxes must be clean, have drainage holes and be in good condition. Where
other containers or packaging is used it must be of a food grade for fish handling.
2.2.3 Where required for product protection purposes, segregation of onboard operations
must be in place.
2.2.4 Vessels must monitor and record the temperature of product on a regular and routine
basis, as required by the relevant Annex.
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2.2.5 Unloading procedures must maintain the chilled temperature of the catch and prevent
contamination and loss in quality.
2.3 Quality Grading and Quality Inspection
2.3.1 The catch must be graded by freshness and size according to legal and market
requirements either onboard or before first sale.
2.3.2 Applicants must adhere to all regulatory food safety requirements for the safe handling
and sale of seafood, as described in the relevant BIM fish handling & quality guide.
2.3.3 All graded catch must conform to the quality specification(s) detailed in the relevant
BIM fish handling & quality guide.
2.3.4 Quality checks of landed species must be undertaken by qualified persons and must be
available for inspection which must confirm that the catch conforms to the required quality
specifications.
2.4 Additional Requirements for Processing Onboard
2.4.1 Vessels must have an EC Approval number according to Regulation EC 853/2004
administered by the SFPA. (Refer to BIM Guide Series 6, 2008 User Friendly Guide to Food
Safety Requirements for Vessels).
Page 10 of 14
3
Traceability and Provenance
Introduction
Traceability and Proof of Provenance identified in the operational plan are the cornerstones
of an assurance to buyers and consumers that products originate from a vessel certified
against the requirements of the Responsibly Sourced Standard . These requirements, based
on record keeping, are the first link in the Chain of Custody of Certified fish that ultimately
reaches the consumer. Applicants can refer to BIM and the following Publications for further
guidance:
BIM User Friendly Guide to Food Safety Requirements for Vessels. Series No. 4, 2007
BIM User Friendly Guide to Filling in the EU Logbook. Series No. 1, 2007
3.1 Traceability and Labelling
3.1.1 There must be a system onboard for recording and reporting the following information
every 24 hours for the catch (e.g. EU Logbook and Landing Declarations):
3.1.1.1 Date of capture
3.1.1.2 Species name and quantity caught (live wt.)
3.1.1.3 Area of capture
3.1.1.4 Fishing method and fishing time
3.1.1.5 Signature of the master or designated crew member
3.1.2 There must be a system using batch or lot identifiers, for tracing and tracking fishery
products from the fishing vessel through to the first point of sale.
3.1.3 For fresh fish sold direct to market only, each batch must be traceable back to the
vessel of capture and presented for first sale with the following information:
3.1.3.1 Vessel name and number
3.1.3.2 Fish species and grade sizes
3.1.3.3 Freshness grades.
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3.1.4 For fishery products that are sold in waxed carton or cardboard boxes the label must
include the following additional information:
3.1.4.1 Product and species name
3.1.4.2 Batch code (traceable to vessel and packing date)
3.1.4.3 Net weight
3.1.4.4 Best before date
3.1.4.5 Area of capture
3.1.4.6 Storage instructions (e.g. keep below -18C)
3.1.4.7 Vessel EU Approval Number if applicable.
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4
Education, Awareness and Communication
Introduction
This section sets out the requirements for vessels to demonstrate commitment to the
education and awareness of crew through provision and access to training. Applicants must
also refer to the relevant Annex (es) to this Standard for species specific requirements for
education, awareness and communication.
Applicants can refer to BIM and the following publications for further guidance:
EU Handbook for the Prevention of Accidents and Sea and the Safety of Fishermen
BIM Fishing Vessel Safety Application CD Rom
BIM FETAC Certificates in Commercial Fishing (various levels)
BIM FETAC Seafood Hygiene Management
4.1 Fish Handling and Seafood Safety
4.1.1 There must be documented evidence of training in the principles of Care of the Catch
as described in the relevant BIM fish handling & quality guide within the EMS
documentation.
4.2 Fishing and the Environment
4.2.1 Applicants must be aware and knowledgeable of the management and fishing methods
required to protect the long term viability of the fishing grounds and their environment.
4.2.2 Applicants who are carrying out fishing activity in or adjacent to a protected site
designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service must be aware of the broad
conservation objectives of the site.
4.3 Commitment to Crew Health and Safety and Professional Development
4.3.1 The vessel must have a Health and Safety Policy Statement under the Safety, Health
and Welfare at Work Act.
4.3.2 Vessel Masters must annually review the competencies of crew. Where upskilling of
crew is required, this must be implemented as documented. This must include as a minimum
measures for the provision of safe legal quality seafood.
4.3.3 A training log must be maintained for the crew and each crew member should sign
against training given.
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4.4 Communication
4.4.1 Applicants must maintain communication between fishermen in order to support the
implementation of the Responsibly Sourced Standard and to foster improvements in
responsible fishing and stewardship of the resource and the environment.
4.4.2 Applicants must demonstrate a pro-active and open policy to providing information on
responsible sourcing and their responsible fishing practices to members of the community,
interested groups, agencies (government and non-government) and supply chain members.
4.4.3 The Applicant must implement a recording system for the documentation of enquiries,
complaints and incidents associated with the activities, practices and products landed by the
vessel.
4.5 Care of the Vessel
4.5.1 The vessel must have a valid Code of Compliance for a vessel of its size.
4.5.2 A preventative maintenance schedule should be demonstrated for equipment critical
to produce safe legal and quality seafood.
4.5.3 Maintenance operations must not compromise seafood safety and quality.
Page 14 of 14
BIM RESPONSIBLY SOURCED STANDARD
PART 3 A
TECHNICAL ANNEX A
DEMERSAL WHITEFISH AND NEPHROPS
Issue No 2
Revision 2
May 2012
Page 1 of 10
Technical Annex A Criteria- Demersal Whitefish and Nephrops
1
Responsible Practices- Environmental Management
Introduction
This Annex details the Responsibly Sourced Standard requirements for demersal whitefish
species including quota species such as; cod, haddock, whiting, hake, white pollack, saithe,
common sole, megrim, monkfish, plaice, ling, rays, and non-quota species including witch,
lemon sole, halibut, brill, turbot, john dory and squid. Nephrops are also included and the
Annex also includes requirements specific to this species. Fish species identified in the scope
of the operational plan and landed on the day of the audit must be available at the point of
discharge or at the first point of sale to be reviewed by the assessor or at an agreed time
within a specified timeframe.
Other legally caught species not listed can be included by the Applicant and must be
documented within the vessels sEMS.
Applicants can refer to the relevant BIM publications specific to the key product list and
documented in the sEMS for further guidance:
 BIM Whitefish Handling Guide - Best Practice
 BIM Cod, Haddock, Whiting - Quality Guide
 BIM Monkfish - Quality Guide
 BIM Megrim, Witch - Quality Guide
 BIM Plaice, Black Sole, Lemon Sole - Quality Guide
 BIM Hake - Quality Guide
 BIM Brill, Halibut, Turbot - Quality Guide
 BIM Dublin Bay Prawn Handling and Quality Guide
 BIM User Friendly Guide Series No. 3, 2007 - Guide and DVD to Tailing Monkfish for
the Spanish Markets
 BIM User Friendly Guide Series No. 6, 2008 – Guide to Food Safety Requirements for
Vessels.
 BIM Seafood Environmental Management Systems Manual for the Irish Catching
Sector, 2nd edition 2009
Page 2 of 10
1.1
Environmental Stewardship
1.1.1 Applicants must adhere to the following minimum specifications and targets for
fishing gears in the area of operation detailed in Table 1. This must be documented in a
signed declaration provided by the applicant in regard to these specifications.
1.1.2 Applicants must adhere to legal requirements associated with the construction of
fishing gear including twine thickness, cod-end attachments, cod-end construction as
contained in Regulations No 43/2009 and any further amendments. This must be
documented in a signed declaration provided by the applicant in regard to these
specifications.
1.1.3 Gear specifications, provided as a self-declaration in the application process, must be
validated by a competent authority (e.g. Certification Body, BIM, SFPA).
Page 3 of 10
TABLE 1: DEMERSAL WHITEFISH GEARS AND TARGETS
SPECIFICATION
Immediate
Whitefish trawlers/Seiners fishing < 30% cod,
haddock, saithe outside restricted area in
Area VIa (West of Scotland) and including
Rockall (VIb), Celtic Sea (VIIb-k) and Irish Sea
(VIIa)
<100mm codend + 100mm smp (>50%Whiting catch VIIB-K)
Whitefish Trawlers/Seiners having >30%
haddock, cod and saithe outside restricted
area in Area VIa (West of Scotland) and
including Rockall (VIb), Celtic Sea (VIIb-k) and
Irish Sea (VIIa)
> =100mm codend + 100mm smp
Whitefish trawlers/seiners(or 112kw) < 15m
Area VII
80mm Codend + 100mm sMP
Whitefish trawlers/seiners < 15m inside
restricted area in VIa
110mm codend + 110mm smp
Whitefish trawlers/seiners > 15m inside
restricted area in VIa
120mm Codend +120mm smp
Beam trawlers Celtic Sea (VIIb-k) and Irish Sea
(VIIa)
<100mm codend + 110mm
80mm + 180mm headline
panel
80mm+180mm Headline Panel
NEPHROPS GEARS AND TARGETS
SPECIFICATION
Immediate
Nephrops (VII) Vessels > 15
80-99mm Codend + 110mm smp
or
80-99mm Codend + Swedish Grid (or accepted TCM)
or
>=100mm Codend +100mm SMP
Nephrops (VII) Vessels < 15 or 112kw
80-99mm Codend + 100mm SMP
or
80-99mm Codend + Swedish Grid (or accepted TCM)
Nephrops inside the restricted area in (VIa)
80mm + 120mm smp or 80mm + rigid sorting grid
Subject to annual review, keeping in line with regulations and stock advice
Page 4 of 10
2
Seafood Quality - Care of the Catch
2.1
Catch must be sorted with care to prevent bruising, damage, reduced freshness and
gaping of the flesh.
2.2
Gutting operations must remove the entire gut and liver material, unless the market
specifies otherwise, using a sharp clean knife to make a precise cut avoiding damage
to the fillet.
2.3
Guts must be promptly disposed or stored separately for further sorting (roes/livers)
so that they do not contaminate fish.
2.4
All traces of material must be removed from the gut cavity and fish surface, paying
particular attention to gills.
2.5
Fillets and fins must not be damaged as a result of gutting.
2.6
Fish must be boxed in neat rows, belly cavity down, with ice at the bottom, middle
and top layers, and where required by customer, interleaved with plastic or paper
sheets to protect from ice marks.
2.7
Boxes must not be overfilled and should be iced to a level below the rim to prevent
fish from being crushed when stacked.
2.8
Elasmobranches must be stored separately to whitefish.
2.9
Whitefish must be size graded at sea according to the required size classification
(refer to ‘Quality Specifications’).
Page 5 of 10
3
Handling and Storage Whitefish
Introduction
This section will identify generic parameters and specifications for whitefish which is covered
in 3.3 below. The other points listed in this section are specifically for species of fish which
differ to some degree from the general specifications.
3.1
When Handling Hake:
3.1.1 The slit in the belly must be kept small and straight and there must not be a cut in the
throat.
3.1.2 Cavity and gills must be thoroughly washed.
3.2
When Handling Flatfish
3.2.1 Plaice and Lemon Sole must be gutted on the coloured side, washed and boxed white
side up.
3.2.2 Megrim and Witch must be gutted on the coloured side, washed individually and
boxed white side up.
3.2.3 Brill and Turbot must be gutted on the white side and Halibut gutted on the coloured
side. All of these three species must be bled before gutting by making an incision into the
backbone on the white side just above the tail. Fish must be bled out before gutting,
washing, boxing and icing. Brill and Turbot must be boxed coloured side up while Halibut
must be boxed white side up.
3.2.4 Black Sole must be gutted through a small incision from the gill to the vent along the
fin between the black and white sides of the fish. Black Sole must be boxed black side up.
Page 6 of 10
3.3
Whitefish
3.3.1 Quality Specifications
PARAMETER
Skin condition
Gutting
Washing
Boxing
SPECIFICATION
Firm, bright, lustre evident, clear mucus, no desiccation.
No open wounds on the flesh.
As recommended by relevant markets and the BIM quality
guides. No fillet damage.
Cavity is clear of loose material.
Cavity is washed clear of all loose gutted material, sand or
grit. Gills washed through the mouth for flatfish species.
Eyes
Fish must be packed by orderly layering.
Size graded and packed according to relevant market
requirements and best practice (see BIM Quality Guides).
No over filling of boxes evident.
Iced, top, middle and bottom, with clean lump free ice. A
plastic sheeting is placed under the top layer of ice. Fish
core temperature of 0 - 2 oC within 4 hours. Icing to
internal box stack lip to prevent crushing.
Normal in appearance, bright and clear.
Gill mucus
No excess cloudy mucus.
Odour
Sea fresh or odourless.
Size Classification
Above EU Minimum Landing Size
Icing
3.4
When Handling Monkfish (Gutted or Whole)
3.4.1 The entire gut contents of the cavity must be removed, particularly toward the throat
unless the market has specifically requested that livers are left in the cavity.
3.4.2 Monk must be washed individually to ensure gills are thoroughly flushed of sand and
grit.
Page 7 of 10
3.5
Monkfish
3.5.1 Quality Specifications
PARAMETER
Skin condition
Gutting
Washing
Boxing
Icing
Eyes
Gill Mucus
Odour
Size Classification
3.6
SPECIFICATION
Firm, bright, lustre evident, clear mucus, no desiccation,
(No open wounds on the flesh).
One incision.
If liver is required, no damage or nicks (Spanish market).
If liver is removed, cavity is clear of loose material.
Gills are not slit unless very muddy.
Cavity is washed clear of all loose gutted material, sand or grit.
Gills washed through the mouth & if muddy washed along gill
silts.
Cavity down, size graded with no more than 35-38kg per box,
excluding ice.
No over filling of boxes evident.
Iced top, middle and bottom, with clean lump free ice. Fish
core temperature 0 - 2 oC within 4 hours.
Icing to internal box stack lip to prevent crushing.
Normal in appearance, bright and clear.
No excess cloudy mucus.
Sea fresh or odourless.
Above EU Minimum Landing Size
Processing Operations (e.g. tailing Monkfish, filleting and freezing)
3.6.1 Filleting operations must take place in an area that will prevent contamination from
offal, waste, chemicals and any other substances.
3.6.2 Products must not remain on work tables beyond the time necessary for their
preparation.
3.6.3 Products must be washed in potable water (or clean seawater).
3.6.4 Products must be stored in clean, drainable boxes, protected with food grade liners
and iced.
3.6.5 Products for freezing must be placed in cardboard boxes or freezer trays for blast
freezing and protected with food grade liners or frozen and packed in accordance to the
specification required by the purchaser.
Page 8 of 10
3.6.6 Blast freezing equipment must be able to lower the temperature rapidly so as to
achieve a core temperature of not more than -18◦C.
3.6.7 Frozen storage facilities must be able to hold product at temperatures of not more
than -18◦C and record the storage temperature on a regular basis.
3.7
When Handling Nephrops
3.7.1 Nephrops must be handled and graded according to market requirements.
3.7.2 Nephrops may be dipped in a protective solution designed to prevent melanosis or
blackspot on the product through oxidation.
3.7.3 Products containing sodium meta-bisulphite (E223) and sodium hydrogen sulphite
(E222) as active ingredients may be used to dip Nephrops in accordance with the
manufacturer’s specifications to ensure that the levels of sulphite residue are kept below
100ppm.
3.7.4 Non-sulphite alternatives may be used to dip Nephrops in accordance with the
manufacturer’s specifications to ensure that residues of 4-hexylresorcinaol (E586) do not
exceed 2mg/kg.
3.7.5 Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be available for the dipping product used and
protective clothing listed made available for crew involved in dipping activity.
3.7.6 A documented procedure for mixing solutions and dipping Nephrops must be available
and crew involved in this activity must be trained in this procedure.
3.7.7 A record of these procedures and training records for current crew must be retained
for a minimum of 3 years.
Page 9 of 10
3.8
Nephrops
3.8.1 Nephrops Quality Specifications
PARAMETER
SPECIFICATION
Eyes
Black in appearance.
Appearance
Flesh Texture & Appearance
Odour
Damage
Vibrant.
Firm and opaque.
Odourless.
No damaged.
Melanosis
Washing
No melanosis present.
Well washed body and appendages. No dirt or grit
evident.
Iced top and bottom, with clean lump free ice. An
onion bag may be placed directly onto the prawns,
before the final top layer of ice. Core temperature
0 - 2 o C within 4 hours.
Box must be filled only to the internal box stack lip
to prevent crushing.
Packed as per Market Requirements and maintained
as – 18 o C.
Non sulphite or below 100ppm sulphite residue.
Above EU Minimum Landing Size
Boxing & Icing (Fresh)
Boxing & Storage (Frozen)
Additive
Size Classification
Page 10 of 10
BIM RESPONSIBLY SOURCED STANDARD
PART 3 B
TECHNICAL ANNEX B
CRUSTACEANS
Issue No 2
Revision 2
May 2012
Page 1 of 12
Technical Annex B Criteria-Crustaceans
1
Responsible Practices- Environmental Management
Introduction
The Crustacean Annex has been developed by BIM in consultation with representatives of
the fishing Industry. This Annex details the Responsibly Sourced Standard requirements for
Crustacean species caught by Irish vessels intended solely for the purpose of human
consumption. The scope of this annex covers crustacean fisheries including lobster, brown
crab and shrimp. Other legally caught species not listed can be included by the applicant and
must be documented within the vessel’s Seafood Environmental Management System.
Technical Annex 3B for the purpose of Brown crab fisheries is divided into two
components, one for vivier crab vessels the other for non vivier day boats. Other species
will be added as required to this document in keeping with the present format.
Fish species identified in the scope of the fishing plan and landed on the day of the audit
must be available at the point of discharge or at the first point of sale to be assessed by the
assessor or at an agreed time within a specified timeframe.
Applicants can refer to the following BIM publications specific to the key product list and
documented in the sEMS for further guidance:
 BIM User Friendly Guide Series No. 6, 2008 – Guide to Food Safety Requirements for
Vessels
 BIM Seafood Environmental Management Systems Manual for the Irish Catching
Sector.
Page 2 of 12
1.1
Environmental Stewardship
1.1.1 Recently moulted crustacean or crustaceans with missing limbs, damaged shell, and
soft moulted shells must be returned to the sea alive.
1.1.2 Where minimum landing sizes apply, crustaceans under this size must be returned
alive to the sea with minimal stress (so that they can remain part of the breeding stock).
1.1.3 Crustaceans missing any claws or more than two legs, do not meet the requirements of
the Standard (see Quality Specification & Species Specific Actions) and must be returned to
the sea alive.
1.1.4 When fishing lobster, applicants must participate in the National V-Notching Scheme.
1.2
Handling and Transfer
1.2.1 Crustaceans shall be handled with care at all times. Crustaceans must be removed
carefully from pots to ensure limbs and claws entangled in the mesh are not pulled off or
damaged. When transferring crustaceans from the pot they must never be thrown into
containers where they may break their own shell or the shell of others already in the
container.
1.2.2 Crustaceans must be placed in a clean container and orientated appropriately for the
species in question (see Quality Specification & Species Specific Actions).
1.2.3 Grading must be according to the BIM’s crustacean guides, where they are available
(see also Quality Specification & Species Specific handling actions).
1.2.4 Where aggression can cause injury and fatalities, procedures for packing or claw
restraining must be in place to prevent damage to crustaceans.
Page 3 of 12
Vivier Vessels
1.3
Meat Yield and Grading
Meat yield determination is a skill best acquired through personal experience of handling
brown crab. Crew responsible for grading brown crab must consult the BIM Brown crab
handling and quality guide which shows the visual cues that may be used for distinguishing
Brown crab that have high meat yield, from those that do not.
1.3.1 Grading must be according to the BIM Brown crab handling and quality guide.
1.3.2 Brown crab must be assessed for meat yield and either accepted or rejected. Where
rejected they must be returned to the sea alive.
1.4 Nicking and Packing of Brown crab
Nicking is a term which refers to the cutting of the tendon of the brown crab claw so that the
pincer can no longer close. This prevents the Brown crab from being able to attack and
damage other brown crab or itself. However, nicking results in bleeding and causes stress to
the animal so it is important to carry out the procedure correctly and ensure proper storage
of animals post the nicking process to ensure brown crabs are kept alive.
1.4.1 All Brown crab must be nicked before transfer to the tank.
1.4.2 Only the French nick must be used, severing the ligament inside the hinge of the
claw by opening the claw through tapping the inside surfaces of the pincers on the
nicking bar, which causes the brown crab to relax the pincers.
1.4.3 The ligament must then be severed using a sharp, clean knife to make as small an
incision as possible in the membrane between the pincers.
1.4.4 The Brown crab must be washed or hosed with clean seawater after nicking to
assist the healing process.
1.5 Storage
Once a crustacean is removed from the water its gills can no longer extract oxygen efficiently
and excrete ammonia waste. Ammonia can deteriorate product quality which will build up
in warmer and dry conditions. Gill damage is irreversible, hastening death and if it occurs
brown crabs will die even if replaced in the water.
1.5.1 Brown crab must be protected from any heat sources and put in the tank in as short
a timeframe as possible.
1.5.2 Brown crab must be stored in the vivier tank immediately after nicking.
Page 4 of 12
1.5.3 Vivier tanks must be purpose designed to avoid contamination and maintain brown
crab in healthy, good quality conditions.
1.5.4 Where tanks are used, crustaceans must not be allowed to sit in tanks of still water
for a prolonged period. The water must be changed at least 4 times per hour. Extreme
care must be taken that low salinity or contaminated water is not taken into the tank
when close to the coast or to sources of freshwater.
1.5.5 Vivier tanks must change the water volume at least 4 times per hour and extreme
care must be taken that low salinity water is not taken into the tank when close to the
coast or to sources of freshwater.
1.5.6 Vivier vessels operators must establish an appropriate and documented tank cleaning
schedule through the risk assessment process, as part of the vessel sEMS.
1.6
Discharge of Crustaceans
1.6.1 Crustaceans must be offloaded efficiently to avoid exposure to sunlight, wind, rain
and risk of contamination. Delays between unloading the vessel and loading on to
transportation must be minimised. In circumstances where delay is unavoidable,
mitigation actions must be in place to maintain crustacean quality.
1.6.2 It is prohibited to land brown crab that is not intended for human consumption .
1.6.3 Where brown crab for human consumption is rejected by buyers due to quality
down grading, it may be used as whelk bait.
1.6.4 A record of the landed rejects and mortalities (number or percentage) from
crustacean sales must be available and the causes of excessive rejects and excessive
mortalities must be investigated and measures undertaken for their reduction.
1.6.5 Only suitable, clean containers shall be used for unloading crustaceans.
1.6.6 Where crustaceans are to be transported onwards, care must be taken to prevent
damage to limbs.
1.6.7 Any weak or damaged brown crab must be separated from the catch for
responsible disposal at the point of discharge.
1.6.8 As the separation of males and females occurs at the discharge stage of operations,
the person undertaking this activity must be trained in accordance with the BIM Brown
crab handling and quality guide.
Page 5 of 12
1.6.9 Where brown crab are to be transported onwards in vivier trucks there must be no
holes in bases of the unloading containers or bongos as the tips of the brown crabs
walking legs may protrude through the holes and be broken off when placed on the
quayside.
1.6.10 There must be no delay between unloading the vessel and loading onto
transportation. Tanks must not be pumped down until transportation has arrived.
Page 6 of 12
Day Boats
1.7 Meat Yield and Grading
Meat yield determination is a skill best acquired through personal experience of handling
brown crab. Crew responsible for grading Brown crab must consult the BIM Brown crab
handling and quality guide which shows the visual cues that may be used for distinguishing
Brown crab that has high meat yield from those that do not.
1.7.1 Graders must identify male from female Brown crab and keep them separate.
1.7.2 Females must be assessed for meat yield and either accepted or rejected, if
rejected they must be returned to the sea alive.
1.7.3 Males that are landed for the white meat market, that meet the specifications must
be kept in separate boxes correctly identified for this use.
1.8 Nicking and Packing of Brown crab
Nicking is a term which refers to the cutting of the tendon of the brown crab claw so that the
pincer can no longer close. This prevents the brown crab from being able to attack and
damage other brown crab or itself. However, nicking results in bleeding and causes stress to
the animal so it is important to carry out the procedure correctly and ensure proper storage
of animals post the nicking process to ensure brown crabs are kept alive.
1.8.1 Brown crab landed by day boats for immediate processing or where purpose
designed claw restraining bands or cable ties are used, need not have their claws nicked.
In this circumstance it is essential that they are packed closely together with their claws
and legs underneath them and the brown side up.
1.8.2 When brown crab is to be stored in keep pots or transferred to a vivier transport
they must also be nicked. Only the French nick must be used, severing the ligament
inside the hinge of the claw by opening the claw through tapping the inside surfaces of
the pincers on the nicking bar, which causes the Brown crab to relax the pincers.
1.8.3 The ligament must then be severed using a sharp, clean knife to make as small an
incision as possible in the membrane between the pincers.
1.8.4 The Brown crab must be washed or hosed in clean seawater after nicking to assist
the healing process.
1.9 Storage aboard the vessel
Once a crustacean is removed from the water its gills can no longer extract oxygen efficiently
and excrete ammonia waste. Ammonia can deteriorate product quality which will build up
in warmer and dry conditions. Gill damage is irreversible, hastening death and if it occurs
brown crabs will die even if replaced in the water.
Page 7 of 12
1.9.1 Where boxes are stored on deck, crustaceans must be protected from any heat
sources (particularly the sun), cooled if possible, placed out of the wind and kept damp as
soon as possible after capture.
1.9.2 Where a holding tank is used, high quality hygienic conditions must be maintained
to ensure healthy crustaceans.
1.9.3 Storage systems (sea based holding tanks, shore based closed systems, vivier tanks)
must be purpose designed to avoid contamination and maintain crustaceans in healthy,
good quality conditions.
1.9.4 Keep boxes must be designed so that limbs do not protrude or become trapped
causing limb damage.
1.9.5 Keep boxes must be located in good quality seawater with stable temperature and
salinity.
1.9.6 Mortalities must be removed regularly from keep boxes.
1.10 Discharge of Crustaceans
1.10.1 Crustaceans must be offloaded efficiently to avoid exposure to sunlight, wind, rain
and risk of contamination. Delays between unloading the vessel and loading on to
transportation must be minimised. In circumstances where delay is unavoidable,
mitigation actions must be in place to maintain crustacean quality.
1.10.2 It is prohibited to land brown crab that is not intended for human consumption
1.10.3 Where brown crab for human consumption is rejected by buyers due to quality
down grading, it may be used as whelk bait.
1.10.4 A record of the landed rejects and mortalities (number or percentage) from
crustacean sales must be available and the causes of excessive rejects and excessive
mortalities must be investigated and measures undertaken for their reduction.
1.10.5 Only suitable, clean containers shall be used for unloading crustaceans.
1.10.6 Where crustaceans are to be transported onwards care must be taken to prevent
damage to limbs.
1.10.7 Where brown crab are to be transported onwards in vivier trucks there must be no
holes in bases of the unloading containers or bongos as the tips of the brown crabs
walking legs may protrude through the holes and be broken off when placed on the
quayside.
Page 8 of 12
1.10.8 Brown crab must be off-loaded efficiently to avoid exposure to sunlight, drying
conditions and risks of contamination such as fuel spillages on the pier.
1.10.9 There must be no delay between unloading the vessel and loading onto
transportation.
Page 9 of 12
1.11
Quality Specification & Species Specific Actions
1.11.1 Brown crab
Parameter
Alertness.
Demonstrates if brown crab is in
good condition.
Moult status
Demonstrates if brown crab is
recently moulted.
White face brown crab have a lower
meat yield.
Shell appearance
Shell must be undamaged with
minimal fouling.
Specification
Lively response with claws and legs.
Top side of shell has dark pigmentation
throughout.
Under side of shell with light brown shading.
Abdomen or flap is dark in colour.
Shell hard when pressed.
Claws brown in colour with cream undersides.
Both claws undamaged.
At least 6 walking legs.
No blackspot or shell discolouration.
Low (10%)prevalence of fouling organisms on
shell.
No cracks on shell.
1.11.2 Brown crab Specific Actions
Issue
Action
Observe Voluntary Minimum Landing
size.
Brown crab Meat Yield and Handling.
Return live to sea all brown crab under
140mm carapace width.
Crew responsible for grading brown crab must
consult the BIM Brown crab handling and
quality guide which shows the visual cues that
may be used for distinguishing Brown crab
that have high meat yield from those that do
not.
Meat yield determination is a skill
best acquired through personal
experience of handling brown crab.
Grading must be according to the BIM Brown
crabquality and handling guide.
Page 10 of 12
1.11.3 Lobster Specification
Parameter
Demonstrate if lobster is in good
condition through alertness, moult
status and general appearance
Specification
Alive and responsive at sale.
Lively response with claws and legs.
Shell must be undamaged with minimal
fouling .
No damaged, broken or missing appendages.
Firm shell- hard when pressed (no soft, recent
moults) .
Absence of black spot on shell surface
(necrosis) .
No mutilation of the tail flap.
No visible re-absorption of eggs.
Not excessively fouled shell.
1.11.4 Lobster Specific Actions
Issue
Regulations
Adherence to regulations for
Minimum landing size and technical
conservation measures.
Action
Live return of lobster less than 87mm
carapace length.
Live return of v-notched lobster or lobster
with mutilation of the tail flaps.
Claw restraint
Lobster must be held apart until they can be
Aggression between lobsters can lead banded.
to injury and mortality.
Lobster claws must be banded as soon as
possible.
Page 11 of 12
1.11.5 Shrimp Specification
Parameter
Demonstrates if shrimp is in good
condition
Specification
Alive and responsive at sale.
Shell must be undamaged with no parasites
visible.
Firm shell when pressed.
Grade 1 (150-180 pieces per Kg).
Grade 2 (180-250 pieces per Kg).
1.11.6 Shrimp Specific Actions
Issue
Regulations
Adherence to regulations for fishing
season
Sorting and Grading
It is important that the catch is
sorted and graded to ensure the best
quality shrimp are retained.
Storing while fishing
Shrimp are very sensitive to exposure
and heat
Pre- sale sorting
Before shrimp are sold they will be
transferred and checked.
Action
Fishing season is closed from 1st May until the
1st of August.
Remove bait and debris by hand from the
catch.
By-catch must be removed and returned alive.
When using graders the catch must be graded
in water to reduce stress and mortalities. Only
1- 2kgs of shrimp must be graded at a time to
reduce stress.
Grade 1 (150 to 180 pieces to Kg).
Grade 2 (180 to 220 pieces to Kg).
After grading Shrimp must be held in seawater
where possible until they are transferred to
keep box or are sold.
Shrimp must only be held in keep boxes for 1
week.
Remove dead or weak shrimp and shells.
Page 12 of 12
BIM RESPONSIBLY SOURCED STANDARD
PART 3 C
TECHNICAL ANNEX C
PELAGIC
MACKEREL, HORSE MACKEREL, BLUE WHITING, HERRING, SPRAT, BOARFISH
Issue No 2
Revision 2
May 2012
Page 1 of 6
Technical Annex C Criteria - PELAGICS
1
Responsible Practices- Environmental Management
Introduction
This Annex details the Responsibly Sourced Standard requirements for mackerel, horse
mackerel, blue whiting, herring, sprat and boarfish. Fish species identified in the scope of
the operational plan and landed on the day of the audit must be available at the point of
discharge or at the first point of sale to be reviewed by the assessor or at an agreed time
within a specified timeframe.
Other legally caught species not listed can be included by the applicant and must be
documented within the vessel’s sEMS.
Applicants can refer to the relevant BIM publications specific to the key product list and
documented in the sEMS for further guidance:



1.1
BIM Herring, Mackerel, Blue whiting and Horse Mackerel Handling Guides;
BIM User Friendly Guide Series No. 6, 2008 – Guide to Food Safety Requirements for
Vessels;
BIM Seafood Environmental Management Systems (sEMS) Manual for the Irish
Catching Sector, 2nd edition 2009.
Environmental Stewardship
1.1.1 A documented fishing procedure must be followed upon arrival on the fishing grounds.
1.1.2 At a minimum, the fishing procedure must contain the following:
1.1.2.1 Details of actions (e.g. avoidance procedures, hook size) taken by the vessel to
avoid the capture of juvenile and unwanted grades and non-commercial fish
species.
1.1.2.1.1 Where mackerel is the target species, unfished (i.e. unmarked) shoals
should be jigged to determine the size of fish within the shoal and allow
action to be taken to prevent the capture of fish below the minimum total
length set for the species detailed in the table below:
TARGET S PECIES
V ESSEL T YPE
TOTAL L ENGTH ( CM )
Mackerel
Jigger
Legal Minimum Landing Size
Mackerel
RSW
Legal Minimum Landing Size
Page 2 of 6
1.1.2.1.2 Undersized fish caught using hooks or jigs, must be quickly returned alive
to the sea with minimum physical damage.
1.1.3
Measures to reduce or remove discards, detailed in the Fishing Procedure and
provided as a self-declaration in the application process, must be validated by a
competent authority (e.g. Certification Body, BIM, SFPA).
1.1.4
The following measures to be implemented to avoid the capture of juvenile and
unwanted grades and non-commercial fish species. (Measures to be defined by the
Technical Committee)
TARGET S PECIES
V ESSEL T YPE
M EASURE
Mackerel
Jigger
No measures in force
Mackerel
RSW
No measures in force
1.1.5 Any loss of gear or interaction of the gear with the seabed must be recorded.
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2
Seafood Quality - Care of Catch
2.1
Quality
2.1.1
The quality of discharged fish, landed for human consumption, must be equivalent
to high or very high quality (as defined in the BIM Handling Guides for the species).
2.1.2
In the case of mackerel, a quality assessment of the product (i.e. that contained in
the BIM Handling Guides) leaving a vessel at discharge, must be available for
verification at the request of a competent authority (e.g. Certification Body, BIM).
2.1.3
Fish not of the quality specification required by the standard must be offloaded
separately in order to avoid any mixing with certified fish.
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3
Handling, Storage and Cold Chain Management
3.1
Handling and Storage
3.1.1
Documented handling processes and procedures must demonstrate that the
risk of product contamination and physical damage is minimised through
mitigating actions.
3.1.2
It must be recorded that all members of the crew have read and understood
a documented handling procedure (e.g. flow diagram and text), designed to
maintain fish quality and prevent contamination.
3.1.3
Measures to ensure that the target species is stored and maintained in
hygienic conditions must be demonstrated.
3.1.3.1 Vessels must demonstrate an appropriate cleaning schedule for fish
holding areas and containments (e.g. Recirculated Seawater (RSW)
holds, chilled holds, bins).
3.1.4
3.2
3.2.1
Fish caught more than 24hrs apart must not be mixed and must be stored
separately in fish holding areas and containments (e.g. RSW holds, chilled
holds, bins).
Cold Chain Management
An approved temperature recording system (e.g. t emperature probe,
loggers, electronic system) must be used on a regular and routine basis to
record either:
 The operational temperature of RSW tanks;
 The hold temperature of chilled storage or
 The core temperature of a representative sample of 5 fish from the centre of
containers (e.g. bins).
3.2.2 On vessels designed and equipped to preserve fresh fishery products for more than
24 hours:
3.2.2.1 It must be demonstrated that the core temperature of a representative
sample of 5 fish from each containment device (e.g. RSW tank) is not more
than +3°C, six hours after loading and not more than 0°after 16 hours;
3.2.2.2 Fish must not be discharged where the core temperature of a representative
sample of 5 fish in any containment device (e.g. RSW tank) is in excess of +2°C.
Page 5 of 6
3.2.3
On vessels which are not designed and equipped to preserve fresh fishery products
for more than 24 hours:
3.2.3.1 The core temperature of a representative sample of 5 fish must be
recorded on final sealing of the bin along with the date and time of this
action;
3.2.3.2 Fish must be iced in a manner to reduce their core temperature from
the temperature on final sealing of the bin by:
 4 degrees after 2 hours;
 6 degrees after 3 hours;
 8 degrees after 4 hours;
 10 degrees after 5 hours;
 12 degrees after 6 hours;
 14 degrees after 7 hours.
3.2.4
The core temperature of a representative sample of 5 fish upon discharge and the
date and time of discharge must be recorded for each bin or tank.
Where discharged fish remains the responsibility of the vessel prior to processing:
3.2.5
Fish must be stored under ice where they are not distributed, dispatched, prepared
or processed immediately after discharge.
3.2.6
Re-icing must be carried out as often as necessary to maintain a temperature of
0 to 4°C.
Page 6 of 6