Comparison of manual approach to digital approach of record keeping
Aspect |
Manual approach |
Digital approach |
Speed |
Slow, error-prone |
Real-time, accurate |
Compliance |
Can be challenging to ensure all data is collected to meet compliance |
Built-in compliance features, easily adjustable to compliance changes |
Scalability |
Limited to employee time and skills |
Highly scalable to meet business growth |
Cost |
High long-term costs |
Initial investment, long-term savings |
From ocean to plate: why seafood processors are feeling the heat
The seafood industry faces unique challenges in FSMA 204 compliance, with nearly all seafood products refrigerated, fresh, frozen or previously frozen, on the FDA FTL, including:
- Finfish
- Smoked finfish
- Crustaceans
- Molluscan shellfish, bivalves
The interlinking, international nature of seafood supply chains combines with its perishable nature to add another level of complexity to meeting FSMA 204 compliance.
Five or more stops in a seafood supply chain is not uncommon, with inventory churn needing to be measured in minutes and hours rather than days or weeks. Seamlessly passing information between players requires shared standards and protocols. However, even with these challenges, forward-thinking businesses can leverage the introduction of FSMA 204 compliance for their competitive advantage.
Interoperable seafood traceability systems: introducing CATCH
Building on EU General Food Law traceability requirements, as of January 10, 2024, with full compliance required by January 10, 2026, fisheries that import to the EU are required to upload detailed catch certification and related documents onto the IUU regulatory IT system CATCH; including:
- Fishing vessel identity
- Species caught
- Catch dates and areas
- Quantities landed
The use of CATCH is mandatory. It streamlines the certification process with a fully digitalized workflow, thus facilitating the exchange of data, information and documents between trading parties and authorities. The aim of the improved, digital system is to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.