EU team inspecting RI's fish-processing plants

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A team from the European Union, a major importer of Indonesian fisheries products, is currently inspecting fish-processing plants here, including factories in North Sulawesi, a major fish producing region.

"The inspections are being conducted to make sure that all the fisheries products exported to Europe are processed in accordance with EU requirements," Joy Korah, a senior official in the North Sulawesi fisheries office, told Antara on Thursday.

A group of EU officials has been inspecting fish-processing factories in South Sulawesi over the last two weeks.

Joy said that besides inspecting fish factories, the EU team also wanted to check whether the fishing techniques practiced by local fishermen were environmentally friendly.

The EU exercises strict quality control over fish and fisheries products exported to European countries, not only as regards health hazards, but also as part of its program to curb illegal fishing.

Johny Rumagit, the head of the export/import unit in the South Sulawesi provincial trade office said that such inspections were a normal part of import procedures in developed countries.

In 2006, fisheries products exported from South Sulawesi to the Netherlands were worth US$70.7 million, while exports to Germany totaled $10 million and Spain $4.64 million.