Biosecurity Advice 2018-26 - Biosecurity requirements for post-entry processing of salmonid products sourced from approved countries (excluding New Zealand) - Request for stakeholder comment

Salmonid products sourced, processed and exported from approved countries (excluding New Zealand)

End use – Human consumption

Source

1. Salmonids must only be sourced from one of the following approved countries:
   
   Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and/or the United States of America.
   
2. Only product derived from salmonid species listed at Appendix 1 may be imported into Australia.
   
   
3. The fish must meet the following import conditions.
   
   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on an Official Government Certificate issued by the competent authority of the source country:
   
   A statement that:
   
   
   1. The consignment does not contain product derived from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) or rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss)
      
      Or
      
      
   2. The salmonid fish from which the product was derived did not come from a farm infected by, or officially suspected of being infected by, infectious salmon anaemia, or from waters within 10km or one tidal interchange (whichever is greater) of an infected, or officially suspected farm.
      
      And
      
      
   3. The salmonid fish from which the product was derived were:
      
      
      1. harvested from a population for which a documented health surveillance program exists, administered by the competent authority of the source country; and
      2. not slaughtered as an official disease control measure; and
      3. processed to remove the head, gills and viscera, and the internal and external surfaces thoroughly washed to remove any extraneous material; and
      4. inspected and graded, ensuring the product is free from visible lesions associated with infectious disease; and
      5. not juvenile salmonids (fish weighing less than 200g in head-off, de-gilled and eviscerated state) or sexually mature adults/spawners (fish with developed gonads).
         
         
4. Certification must:
   
   
   1. be issued by the competent authority of the source country of the salmonid fish, and
   2. include the name and registration number(s) of the farm(s) from which the raw material was harvested.

Processing

1. Salmonids must only be processed in the following approved countries: Canada, Denmark, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and/or the United States of America.
   
   
2. Only product derived from salmonid species listed at Appendix 1 may be imported into Australia.
   
   
3. The fish must meet the following import conditions.
   
   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on an Official Government Certificate:
   
   A statement that:
   
   
   1. the salmonid products have been processed to remove the head, gills and viscera, and the internal and external surfaces thoroughly washed to remove any extraneous material.
   2. the salmonid fish were processed in premises subject to regular inspection and audit under the supervision of the competent authority to ensure that processing practices and quality control systems are in place.
   3. the final salmonid products for export to Australia have been processed from raw salmonid materials imported exclusively from countries approved by Australia and were subject to effective separation controls to ensure the prevention of inadvertent or deliberate substitution, and the prevention of comingling with, or contamination by, aquatic animal material originating in countries other than those approved.
   4. movement of final salmonid products intended for export to Australia have been effectively tracked through all stages of processing. Name and registration number of source farm and processing facility/ies must be included on the Official Government Certificate.
      
      
4. The salmonid products must be packaged individually, in plastic sleeves, pouches or other packaging, or as loose pieces in cartons of any weight, and is:
   
   
   1. in a consumer ready form¹; or
   2. not in a consumer ready form
      
      
5. Certification must be issued by either:
   
   
   1. the only processing country;
      
      Or
      
      
   2. the final processing country, making attestations on behalf of any other processing countries, based on sighting the accompanying certification issued by the previous processing country.
      
      And
      
      
   3. be accompanied by a certified copy of the source country health certification

¹ Consumer ready form is:

1. cutlets, including the central bone and external skin but excluding fins, each cutlet weighing no more than 450 grams
2. skinless fillets, excluding the belly flap and all bone except the pin bones, of any weight
3. skin-on fillets, excluding the belly flap and all bone except the pin bones, each fillet weighing no more than 450 grams
4. eviscerated, headless ‘pan-size’ fish, each fish weighing no more than 450 grams
5. product that is processed further than described above.

Salmonid products sourced, processed and exported from approved countries (excluding New Zealand)

End use – Human consumption

On arrival in Australia

1. On arrival in Australia, the department will review the government certificate accompanying the salmonid product and will be directed:
   
   
   1. as a consumer ready product or
   2. as a product for further processing.
      
      
2. Imported salmonid that is in a consumer ready form may be sold to any retailer.
   
   
3. Any imported salmonid that does not fit the consumer ready category must be sent to an Approved Arrangement for further processing to meet a consumer ready form, prior to release from biosecurity control.
   
   
4. The importer must nominate an Approved Arrangement when they apply for an import permit. The imported salmonid will be directed to these premises on arrival.

Thermally treated salmonid products from a country with a recognised competent authority

End use – Human consumption

Processing

1. Salmonids must only be processed and exported from a country where the certifying competent authority has been formally recognised for this trade, listed in Appendix 2.
   
   
2. Only product derived from salmonid species listed at Appendix 1 may be imported into Australia.
   
   
3. The products must meet the following import conditions.
   
   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on an Official Government Certificate:
   
   A statement that:
   
   
   1. the salmonid product was processed and treated at premises approved by and under the control of the competent authority.
      
      And
      
      
   2. the product was processed in accordance with one of the minimum time/temperature parameters set out below:
      
      
      1. for salmonid roe, the product was thoroughly washed to remove any extraneous material and heated at a minimum core temperature of 65°C for a minimum period of 30 minutes
      2. for skin-on/skinless fillets of any weight, the product was heated to a minimum core temperature of 65°C for a minimum period of 30 minutes
         
         Or
         
         
   3. the product is eviscerated, head-on rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) and has been treated at a minimum core temperature of 66°C for a minimum period of 40 minutes;
      
      Certification must be issued by the competent authority of the processing country. Certification must include the name(s) and registration number(s) of the establishment(s) that processed the salmonid product.
      
      
4. The products must be packaged individually, in plastic sleeves, pouches or other packaging, in cartons of any weight.