The NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce announced a revision to the U.S. Grade Standard for Fish Fillets for its Seafood Inspection Program (SIP).
In 1996, NOAA SIP removed product-specific grading standards from its regulations and has since issued them as program policies maintained in the SIP Inspection Manual. See 61 FR 9368 (March 8, 1996).
Through the modernization of the current U.S. Grade Standards, NOAA has created a harmonized approach to improve inspection procedures, policy, and guidance to enhance efficiency and modernize the current standards with best practices. NOAA anticipates that improving the design will reduce the complexity associated with grading-related procedures, specifications requirements, and administrative process time while retaining the validity of results.
NOAA SIP provides a 60-day review period for stakeholders to submit comments. All input is collected using this form and submission acknowledgments sent to commenters upon completion.
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