Apr
22
Mussel farming in Galicia. (Photo: Xunta de Galicia)
EU committee supports greater water protection for mollusc farming
SPAIN
Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 03:50 (GMT + 9)
The Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) of the European Commission (EC) adopted a resolution sponsored by the Mussel Regulatory Council of Galicia in defense of water protection for mollusc farming.
The resolution, which was presented through the European Mollusc Producer Association and unanimously approved, details the importance of mollusc farming as an activity that contributes more than half of European aquaculture products. In addition, it requests the authorities of the European Union (EU) to legally protect farming water quality.
According to the Directive 79/923/EEC, Member States are required to maintain a strict and thorough control of breeding water quality. In Galicia, this task is the responsibility of the Technological Institute for the Control of the Marine Environment of Galicia (Intecmar).
But the Mussel Council warns that in December 2013, this standard will be replaced by a new rule that does not guarantee the same level of protection as the previous one.
Given this situation, the Galician agency has submitted reports about the issue to the delegation of the Committee on the European Parliament’s Petitions and to the European Commissioners for Environment, Maritime Affairs, and Health and Consumer Policy.
The ACFA is the EC dialogue entity for fishing-aquaculture issues. It was joined by 21 organizations representing the professional interests of aquaculture, fishing, processing products, distribution and trade.
On the other hand, the Minister for Rural and Marine Affairs of the Xunta de Galicia, Rosa Quintana, tried to reassure consumers about the poisoning level recorded in France.
The Spanish official insisted that Galicia is calm and convinced that “all the controls that needed doing were performed, and that all the administrative measures needed to be adopted were adopted,” the newspaper Faro de Vigo reported.
Between 25 March and 1 April some two million kilos of mussels left Galicia towards France, Italy, Valencia, Canary Islands and Balearic Islands.
During that time “there was no problem in any mussel undergoing the right traceability from its origin to its destination,” stressed the Galician minister.
Meanwhile, the autonomous government hopes that France will confirm the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition that the problem was due in fact to pathogen micro-organisms and not to biotoxins.
Furthermore, the Agency is expected to submit the analysis conducted to determine the source of the toxicity.
Related article:
– Galician government defends biotoxin control in mussels
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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