New standards for imports in major markets at centre of debates.
The 10th meeting of the FAO Sub-Committee on Fish Trade (30 May – 2 June, Santiago de Compostela, Spain) was marked by vigorous debate among the 61 participating countries regarding the increasingly complex challenges of responsibly managing the globe-spanning fish trade sector.

Questions regarding new safety, quality, traceability and eco-labeling standards which are being increasingly imposed on fish imports by many authorities and retailers in the developed world featured prominently in the discussions.

Developing countries in particular noted that complying with such standards involves significant financial and technical burdens, especially since they are not universal but often vary greatly from market to market.

'We heard from all the delegations that ensuring consumer safety and bringing products to market that come from sustainable fisheries is of course extremely important,' explained Jorge Zuzunaga of Peru, who chaired the meeting. 'It’s just that, as one delegate put it, a ‘bewildering array’ of different standards are being applied to fish imports, which can create confusion and problems -- especially for countries where production comes from small-scale or artisanal fishers.'