RE: Medical Certificate on fishing boat crew

From: Thomas, Ernest (Ernest_Thomas@dec.state.ak.us)
Date: Mon May 01 2006 - 13:47:29 PDT

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    To answer your question. The daily audit log covering the 8 points of
    sanitation as listed by FDA will have a category for Employee Health.
    That would be the only required medical evaluation on a daily basis done
    by plant management.
    On another note, your message was not clear as to whether the fisher are
    selling to EU food stores, public, retail outlets etc. If that were the
    case, the concept of "Approved Source" for seafood entering commerce
    even as an exported product forbids, in Alaska, Fishers selling the
    catch to consumers. Unless the seafood has exited a facility under the
    regulatory oversight of either a Federal, State, municipal health
    department, it cannot be sold in direct commerce to consumers such as
    restaurants, food stores, retail outlets, citizens etc. Each and every
    Fisher in Alaska has the right to ship their product to a permitted
    processor but they cannot sell to the general public. This concept of
    "Approved Source" is the reason most Fishers secure permits and we in
    turn inspect their vessel or facility.
    Ernest F. Thomas 907-269-7637
    Environmental Health Officer III
    Seafood Permit Coordinator
    Processed Foods Specialist

    -----Original Message-----
    From: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu] On
    Behalf Of ignaciopesca@mac.com
    Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 11:49 AM
    To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
    Subject: Medical Certificate on fishing boat crew

    Dear Experts

    In order to be listed by our "competent authority" to be allowed to sell
    our fish to exporters intending to send products to Europe, the local
    inspector says that all crew on board need to have annual medical
    certificates... I asked him to provide me with a reference of the
    requirement but he does want to...

    I have read Regulations 852, 853, 854/2004 from the EC and found no
    reference to medical certificates... they talk about product handlers
    with good health... which is understandable... and we would not embark
    (we have a small longliner) some one looking sick anyway... small
    confined space and away from medical care... would be silly...

    Does anyone have a exact reference for a medical certificate in the EU
    regs?

    What is the point of having a medical certificate if you could be really
    sick a month later, anyway?

    Would a visual check of the general health (no dripping orifices, eyes,
    nose, ears and so on?) before embarking and recorded in our daily
    checklist satisfy the requirements?

    Your help is appreciated

    Ignacio Irunaga



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