June 7, 2016 — PORTSMOUTH, NH — Officials at High Liner Foods in Portsmouth say that a duplicative inspection program for catfish is hindering their growth.
Traditionally, the Food and Drug Administration was tasked with oversight of all fish. But a provision included in the 2008 Farm Bill removed FDA oversight of catfish, and transferred inspection responsibilities to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Now, companies such as High Liner are subject to redundant regulations and duplicate inspection activities, they say.
CEO Keith Decker says the provision is not only bad for business, it is bad for the health of Americans, who eat less than half of the recommended amount of seafood.
“We have to figure out a way to be able to more than double seafood consumption, so we hope through our work, and the support of our senators, we can continue to eliminate these efforts to block seafood consumption through trade protectionism, etc., so we can continue to expand our work,” Decker said.
Decker said because of the current inspection process, he has to have a separate inspector in all of their facilities.
U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., toured the company Monday morning, learning about its products, and speaking with employees about the recent passage of a Resolution of Disapproval that would block the USDA program.