MEMORANDUM FOR: Seafood Inspection Program Participants and Personnel
FROM: Steven Wilson, Director of Seafood Commerce and Certification
SUBJECT: End to Batch Issued Health Certificates
SUMMARY:
In May 2009, the U. S. Department of Commerce (USDC) Seafood Inspection Program (SIP) began issuing “batch” health certificates. Due to several issues regarding logistical and informational completion of the certificates, including the need for expedient service, SIP decided that it would be best to allow customers to request batch certificate service. The initial policy was put into place to address the current business practices to facilitate the distribution of certificates and minimize the quantities of certificates superseded each month. During the last audit of the certification system by the European Union (EU), SIP was notified by EU DG Sante that the batch service is not in compliance to the EU standard of certification required for documentation and the service does not meet CODEX Standards for International health certification. Through this memorandum, SIP is announcing an end to the practice of batch certificates, effective July 1, 2019.
PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS:
Effective July 1, 2019 SIP policy is as follows: All requested certificates will be issued through the online system, per policy to meet inspection requirements for each consignment. No longer will groups of incomplete documents be issued prior to processing to be completed at later dates. All NOAA SIP certificates are to be issued as complete, meeting international standards. NOAA SIP will work with individual stakeholders to address specific certification needs and place inspectors and officers in locations at the times necessary to meet both NOAA SIP program requirements and industry service requests.