The Department of Fisheries in collaboration with the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary committee and the West Africa Quality Programme (WAQP) Wednesday finalised the draft National Fisheries Products Regulations of 2007 at the conference hall of Laico Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

The Regulations were drafted by the Fisheries Products Task Force Committee of the National Codex Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee. Delivering the opening statement at the occasion, Lamin Kabba Bajo, the minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters said the regulations are envisaged to address principal safety and quality issues of fishery products and detailing the powers of competent authorities as well as the players and the conformity assessment activities related to the safety and quality of fish and fishery products.

He told the gathering that the regulations have been prepared in accordance with international standards and is also considered to be in-line with EU regulations. He opined that the implementation of the regulations, when approved, will go a long way in helping the country's efforts in putting high quality and safe fishery products in the home and export markets.

While commending the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee and WAQP for supporting the finalisation of the regulation and in helping The Gambia to develop and maintain standards of best practices in safer and quality fishery production, Minister Bajo equally assured them of the Gambia government's readiness to strengthen its' collaboration with them.

Dr Babagana Ahmadu, the representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in The Gambia said his office has been working with the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee to improve the national food control system.  According to him, food and agricultural trade places obligations on importing as well as exporting countries to implement and enforce risk-based food control as well as animal and plant health protection strategies. He added that achieving this requires effective inspection and certification systems in the protection of consumer health and safety as well as ensuring fair practice in the trading of food and agricultural products.

Dr Ahmadu pointed out that The Gambia being dependent on the export of animal and plant products to provide both foreign exchange revenues and employment in agriculture and natural resources sectors, there is the need to have a regulation that is in harmony with international standards. He stated that with the set of expertise present in the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee, he has the belief that the regulations have been well prepared in accordance with international standards and recommendations that can be applied at any level.

The FAO boss then expressed his office's appreciation to the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee and WAQP for facilitating and supporting the finalisation of the regulations.