Simplifying IUU compliance for exporters
Innova enables producers have full control over virtually every stage of their operation.
With its experience and expertise in the field of traceability, Marel Food Systems is helping companies to adapt their procedures to the European Union regulations on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
With a single Marel scale to weigh and register purchase orders, combined with an Innova software packing module, exporters can document every catch and ensure the traceability required by the EU, the equipment manufacturer said.
Since the start of this year, all harvested seafood products have had to carry a label that guarantees that they were obtained legally, responsibly and without harming the marine environment. A catch certificate provided by the vessel operator or seafood exporter must accompany every shipment entering the EU, and has to be validated and countersigned by a government authority.
A fish landing system that Marel supplied to Southland Fish Supplies, an Australian fish wholesaler and processor, is a perfect example of how companies can avoid being caught up in red tape.
“The challenge was to find a registration and monitoring system that could cope with a multi-species fishery,” said Southland MD Steve Buckless. “We land up to 170 different species of fish throughout the year in numerous grades and forms.”
Marel’s solution comprised a single M2200 packing scale and printer, along with the Innova software which registers data such as vessel, species, grade, weight, form etc.
Apart from meeting the EU requirements, the implementation of a traceability process provides other benefits, including improved supply chain management and easier compliance with labelling laws.
Traceability can start onboard fishing vessels where information on the catch and location is registered, followed by in-weighing to the auction or processing plant. From there, data capture at each stage of the process that the fish undergo can be registered and monitored, all the way through to order handling and dispatch.
Innova is an advanced, integrated control system that provides a information about the production process at anytime, accessed either off- or on-line. As a result, food producers have full control over virtually every stage of their operation – from receipt of raw material to dispatch of finished product. Innova also identifies key performance indicators at every stage, instantly identifying any malfunction or interruption and providing traceability from door to door.
This IT system has also been recommended for Marel UK’s recently launched AEW Delford OCM9500 Automatic Box/Crate Labeller, a machine that weighs, labels and tracks end of line packaging.
This machine has been specifically developed to provide fixed or variable weight labelling of heavy products, such as eurocrates and boxes, or irregular retail products at speeds of up to 40 per minute – much faster than a manual operator.
When linked to Innova, Marel’s dedicated production control software, the OCM9500 gives complete traceability. Products can be consistently, accurately tracked and labelled, preventing double, misplaced, missed or repeat labels and costly double shipping costs.
OCM9500 is available with a selection of optional extras: front and side labelling; an auto infeed for integration into a customer’s existing system by the addition or removal of conveyors; and various label options, including top only, base only, front only, rear only, front corner and side. Combinations of these can also be achieved across up to eight labellers.
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