Co-financed by EU funds the new ‘Fishmetric’ system will now be introduced ensuring reliable control over food safety.
What we are talking about is the new fish traceability system ‘Fishmetrics,’ This system has been installed in the fish auction areas of Funchal, Caniçal, Paul do Mar, and Porto Moniz. The new system allows for different lots of fish to be QR-CODED in both English and Portuguese with catch information.
The system, which is in line with the latest Community guidelines on the Common Fisheries Policy, was recently presented at the Praça do Peixe do Mercado dos Lavradores, in Funchal. The launch was attended by the Regional Secretary for Sea and Fisheries, Teófilo Cunha, and the Director of Inspection and Control Services of the Regional Directorate of Fisheries, Nuno Gouveia.
The catch information is loaded to the QR-CODE as soon as the fish arrives at the auction facility, where photographs are taken as well as information about the fishing vessel that made the capture, where the fish was caught, biological identification, size, gastronomic uses to name just a few.
All the data follows the fish throughout the commercial circuit through its QR-CODE code. In commercial terms, it is an added value because everyone can trace the origin of the product. In this case, purchasers want to know that the fish sold is actually from Madeiran waters. Further controls include species identification, body length, and that the fish is allowed to be legally caught, explained Nuno Gouveia. In brief, he said, “we now have the wherewithal to track a fish from the sea to the plate.”
Also, said Nuno Gouveia, Fishmetrics is an important research tool, as it allows government entities to analyse catch data which will be fundamental in future decision making with regard to fishing, what can be fished, and the creation of exclusion zones to allow fish populations to recover.
The new system has cost approximately 55,900 euros, a derisory amount says Nuno Gouveia considering the amount of information we will gain.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
