Press Releases

SHWF proposes seawater supply accreditation scheme

        The Government was working to establish a voluntary accreditation scheme for seawater suppliers to help ensure the quality of fish tank water by motivating self-regulation of the seawater suppliers, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, said today (September 23).

        "Keeping seafood in filthy water is harmful to public health and will not be tolerated," Dr Yeoh said after his visit to Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market. "The Government attaches great importance to the control of fish tank water quality for protection of public health."

        Under the proposed accreditation scheme, seawater suppliers will have to meet criteria in areas such as source of seawater, filtration and disinfection systems, equipment cleansing and maintenance schedules, seawater sampling and documentation before they can attain accreditation status from the accrediting body.

        Restaurants which purchase seawater from accredited seawater suppliers may put a logo on their premises, making known to customers that their seafood is kept in clean water.

        "We will develop further details of the scheme and consult the trade and the Legislative Council later this year. Our target is to launch the scheme in early 2005.

        "I wish the trade and the public will join hands with the Government to ensure the quality of fish tank water. This tripartite effort will go a long way in upkeeping Hong Kong's brand name as a gourmet paradise," Dr Yeoh said.

        Reviewing the work done in enhancing the quality of fish tank water, Dr Yeoh pointed out that the Government had, in the past year, put in place a series of measures in this regard such as the regularisation of live fish wholesaling activities in late 2003, which brought 18 live fish wholesalers at Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter under the permit system of Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).

        Other measures included the provision of treated seawater by the Fish Marketing Organisation at Aberdeen at cost for fish traders/wholesalers since early August and the new risk-based surveillance programme for fish tank water implemented by FEHD since early this year. This new system provides an early signal to premises with deteriorating quality of fish tank water or failing disinfection system so that remedial measures can be taken in a timely manner.

        All the five incidents of vibrio cholerae in fish tank water discovered so far this year were detected by this on-going surveillance programme, signifying the effectiveness of the enhanced monitoring system.

        "Apart from the on-going surveillance of fish tank water at the wholesale and retail levels, we see a need to control the quality at source.

        "We are also studying legislative proposals to prohibit the abstraction of seawater from coastal areas. We aim to consult Legislative Council in the coming session. All these efforts demonstrate the resolve of the Government to further strengthen the control of fish tank water quality to ensure food safety," Dr Yeoh said.

        Dr Yeoh also called on the trade to play its part by using seawater from clean sources and taking heed of advice from FEHD and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in ensuring fish tank water quality.

Ends/Thursday, September 23, 2004

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