|
The Department
of Fisheries (DOF) is responsible for maintaining good quality shrimp
production, focusing, through its various agencies, at each major
component of the shrimp production line, from hatchery to shrimp
farms to processing, and finally, to the consumer - in other words,
from the farm to the table - in accordance to the Code of Conduct
(CoC).
The relevant
agencies for initial production line are as follows:
Coastal
Aquaculture Research and Development Office, formerly known
as the Coastal Aquaculture Division, is a working agency with 22
coastal aquaculture centers or stations located in coastal provinces.
It is responsible for experimenting and identifying suitable areas
for farm development according to accepted standards, offering technical
assistance regarding environmental best practice, such as how to
maintain good water and soil quality, and providing antibiotic residue
testing and shrimp health examination services.
The Marine
Shrimp Research Institute, formerly known as the Marine Shrimp
Research and Development Institute, is responsible for aquaculture
research and development. The main focus of its research is on shrimp
fry nursing, aiming to improve the quality of farms and hatcheries
by developing quality production standards, training both DOF personnel
and farmers on guidelines, and monitoring farm and hatchery conformance
to the Code of Conduct (CoC) and Good Aquaculture Practice (GAP)
guidelines.
The Coastal
Aquatic Animal Health Research Institute is responsible for
the study and control of aquatic animal diseases, such as those
that harm shrimp, providing consultation, training and disease examination
services. The Institute has a laboratory equipped with modern instruments
and equipment used in monitoring and maintaining good shrimp health.
The Institute carries out shrimp disease examinations alongside
water quality testing for a more effective prevention of shrimp
diseases.
The Freshwater
Aquatic Animal Feed Research Institute and Coastal Aquatic Animals
Feed Research Institute, formerly known as the Feed Quality
Control and Development Division, is responsible regulating aquatic
animal feed production. The quality of shrimp feed is the key to
the quality of the shrimp culture. Nutritional information and optimal
feeding ratios for the different kinds of feeds are evaluated by
these agencies through a stringent inspection process before issuing
certificates to the respective suppliers.
The relevant
agencies for the end of production line are as follows:
The Fishery
Industry Development Division, formerly known as the Fishery
Industry Research and Development Institute, is responsible for
the development of guidelines for buyers and sellers to ensure that
sanitary conditions are maintained during the transport of shrimp
products from farms to processing plants.
The Fishery
Product Inspection and Quality Control Division, formerly known
as the Fish Inspection and Quality Control Division (FIQD), is responsible
for issuing fishery product certificates and ensuring that existing
shrimp export quality standards are at par with international standards.
Officers of this division are assigned to inspect product cleanliness
by using the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) method.
|