Gail Shea, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, attended the official opening of the new location of the Catch Certification Program Operations Centre (CCPOC) in Tignish, Prince Edward Island.
“Establishing the office in PEI has created new jobs for Islanders and maintained the service excellence expected by our clients” said Minister Shea, who is Canadian Minister of National Revenue. “Not only does this new office benefit the community of Tignish, but it also benefits fish harvesters by ensuring the long-term economic prosperity of their industry.”
New market demands for information about fish and seafood products are driven by increasing consumer awareness of the origin and safety of food products, as well as international efforts to promote legal and sustainable fishing practices.
The Catch Certification Office, which became fully operational on 13 June 2011, responds to export market requirements for tracking and traceability of fish and seafood products. This includes including new European Union regulations that require all fish and seafood imports to be certified as not coming from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fisheries.
