1600 South Jackson Street
Seattle, Washington 98144
Phone 206-323-3540
Fax 206-323-3543
SETTING THE STANDARD IN SEAFOOD SAFETY
To: SPA Technical Committee
Please see extract of message from Tim Hansen on the issue of US exports to Russia. Tim’s
(USDC’s) efforts will be instrumental to minimize any disruption of trade of US seafood products to
Russia. Please see also the attached letter from Fisheries Council of Canada to Prime Minister
Harper requesting intervention from the highest levels of Canadian Government on the issue.
I have expressed SPA’s thanks and offer to USDC to facilitate in any way we can. Tim will be
meeting with the Russians in early January and plans to provide another update at that time.
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Extract from Tim Hansen email:
We are not entirely sure of VPSS's intentions about how they will conduct the audit. They
characterized the visit as an audit but in Norway, Canada and Thailand they performed compliance
inspections on individual plants. We wanted the meeting in part to figure out how to prepare for the
audit e.g. how will you conduct the inspection, what firms do you want to see (all or a sampling), how
should a shippers list be constructed etc. The bottom line is that we really don't know yet but will
share with the affected industry as soon as we do. We will be negotiating that they conduct an audit
and determine whether USDC is competent or not and if we are found competent we will develop a
list of shippers.
We do know that they want to visit the five firms that were previously de-listed. I will suggest that they
conduct the visit the weeks before or after the Boston Seafood Show. That would give them the
opportunity to attend the show but I will need the input of the industry about what the best times are.
They will cut off trade if we have not facilitated an audit by the end of the second quarter or June 30,
2009.
I hope this helps. I apologize that information about this has not been more forthcoming.
Tim Hansen
Director, Seafood Inspection Program
Kenny Lum
President
Seafood Products Association, 1600 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144
Phone: (206) 323-3540, Fax: (206) 323-3543, Mobile: (206) 529-7105
E-mail: klum@spa-food.org Website: www.spa-food.org
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