Taskforce setup for the development of Fisheries Products Technical Regulations

The National Codex / Sanitary ad Phytosanitry Committee (NCSPSC) in partnership with the West Africa Quality Programme established a Taskforce on the development of Fisheries Products Technical Regulations. This Taskforce was launched on the 10th August, 2010 at Laico Atlantic Hotel, Banjul.

This Taskforce was formed under the provision of the Fisheries act which states that one of the responsibilities of the National Codex / Sanitary ad Phytosanitry Committee is the appointment of a Technical Committee or Task force to assist in the study or consideration of Technical matters. To this end the committee or taskforce is to assist in the study of consideration of technical regulations for fisheries and fisheries products and has identified technical experts to be members of the taskforce.

Mr. Modou Njie of the Fisheries department gave a summary of the draft Fisheries Product Technical regulation which is a subsidiary of the Fisheries Act, 2007. Mr Joseph Ndenn, the  Chairman of  the Occasion who is from the West African Quality Programme, also acknowledged the need for the formation of the Taskforce and indulges the active participation of all members of the Taskforce. He however moderated the meeting of the Taskforce; the taskforce is made of various stakeholders in the Fisheries industry.

The launching and inauguration of this taskforce came at a time when the importation and exportation of food in a bid to increase foreign exchange and Food security in The Gambia. This regulation is intended the curd the issues of rejects of Gambian Fishery Products from the European Union, the reduction of rapid alert received from the European Union on The Gambian Exports, control of processing methods like in smoking fisheries to reduce the presence of Benzo pryaine in the smoked fishes which is normally due to the burning of the woods which produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.