Fish Inspection Regulations

14 (1) No person shall export fish, process fish for export or store fish for export unless the processing or storing of that fish is carried out in a registered establishment.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of

• (a) fish imported into Canada by a holder of an import licence and that are intended for direct sale to consumers without further processing; or

• (b) final products produced in a registered establishment that, before being marketed, exported or made available to consumers, are temporarily stored in a cold-storage warehouse or other location that is not a registered establishment.

(3) For the purpose of subsection (1), “processing” does not include any of the following:

• (a) the washing, icing or boxing of live, whole or dressed unfrozen fish other than

  • (i) shellfish and echinoderms,

  • (ii) fish raised in an aquaculture operation, or

  • (iii) crustaceans, excluding live lobster or live crab;

• (b) the freezing on board a vessel of whole or dressed fish that are destined for further processing in a registered establishment, other than shellfish, echinoderms or crustaceans excluding shrimp;

• (c) the shucking of scallops to remove adductor muscles with or without roe attached, if carried out on board a vessel;

• (d) the processing of whole or dressed unfrozen fish, or the salting or pickling of whole, split or dressed unfrozen fish by fisher packers other than shellfish, echinoderms or crustaceans;

• (e) actions taken by fishers or processors at the time or point of catching, unloading, handling, holding or transporting fish to preserve its quality and safety before delivery to a registered establishment for the purpose of processing, storage or inspection before export, if such actions are done in accordance with these Regulations.

(4) If the President of the Agency, in writing, informs a fisher-packer who carries out an activity described in paragraph (3)(d) that there is serious contamination on board the vessel or onshore in the establishment where that activity is conducted:

• (a) no person shall process any fish on board that vessel or onshore in that establishment; and

• (b) no person shall export or attempt to export any fish that has been processed in that vessel or establishment.