The Indian seafood export industry might be facing a very serious threat by next year as European Union [EU] has strictly warned to import only those seafood items having a catch certificate. This will be strictly implemented from 1st January of 2010, according to the official journal of EU.
The strict requirement of the catch certificate is based on a regulation of EU [EC No. 1005/2008] to prevent , deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The regulation is the result of the follow up action of UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, FAO agreement to promote compliance with International Conservation and Management measures by fishing vessels and UN Fish Stocks Agreement.
The EU Regulation clearly states that fishery products shall only be imported into European Community when accompanied by a Catch certificate in conformity with the regulation.
The export sector of India is now facing a very serious issue relating to this certificate that will badly hit the Indian prospects if there will not be a speedy action. The catch certificate should be issued by a Public/ competent authority who has been empowered by a notification issued by Government of India to attest the veracity of the information contained in the certificate.
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The agency should also be empowered to carry out verifications of such certificates on request of EU member countries. At present Export Inspection Council [EIC] is the designated competent authority to attest the veracity of the Health certificate for import of seafood into EU.
EIC is not legally empowered to issue the catch certificate as per the regulations of EU. According to seafood exporters, EIC is not having the infrastructure and personnel to physically conduct a verification audit of the fishing vessels. This is one of the basic requirements of the certifying authority as per the provisions of EU regulations.
This agency should carry out such verifications of the vessels on request of EU member states. As per the regulations, the export from India could be banned for non-conformity from 1st January, 2010 unless there would be speedy solution for this very serious issue, said a leading Kochi based exporter.
The same problem is also faced by a set of East Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia whose export is mainly to EU nations.
This development has a serious significance as India's export to EU is 135,238 tonnes valued at Rs 2,515.68 crore in 2008-09. In volume wise this is 25.51 per cent and value wise 33.02 per cent of the total marine exports from India.
EU has maintained the same level on the quantity front while 3.73 per cent growth registered in value against the figures of 2007-08 even in the midst of a strong recessionary trend spread in EU nations.
