The Australian Fish Names Standard - AS 5300

The key topics

1. What is a standard2. What is a Standards

Development Organisation3. Why an Australian Fish Names

Standard4. What next for AS 5300

A StandardStandards are published documents setting out specifications and procedures designed to ensure products, services and systems are safe, reliable and consistently perform the way they were intended to. They establish a common language that defines quality and safety criteria.

A document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.’

Who uses StandardsStandards are used in four main

areas:Regulatory compliance -

MandatoryVoluntary compliance –

Certification schemesContractual specifications -

PurchasingGuidance - Educational, best

practice‘Australian Standard’ is a registered

trademark of Standards Australia

Who develops Australian Standards?1. Standards Australia (SA) is a

resource based on need and prioritisation

2. Committee driven where an ad hoc group of affected stakeholders develop a standard under the Standards Australia banner (Committee resourced)

3. Externally funded where SA is paid to develop and manage standards development

4. Accredited Standards Development Organisation (FRDC)

Fisheries R & D CorporationAccredited in 2013 to “Develop

Australian Standards in the fields of terminology, sustainability and operational practices in the fishing industry”

The scope of accreditation and the existing standards were effectively moved from SSA to FRDC

Criteria for Designation as an Australian Standard

New Project Registration Relevance (consultation, need, support, costs) Value (national interest, public benefit) No duplication (national compatibility,

harmonisation) Timeliness

Independent facilitationBalanced standards development committee

(lack of bias)Transparency (open participation, public

comment)Consensus International alignmentFinal process approval

The Australian Fish Names StandardSSA accredited as an SDO in March 2006 and developed the AFNS.

Use of standard fish names in Australia, as defined in this Standard, achieves outcomes that are consistent with the aims of industry and governments, including:

1. Improved monitoring and stock assessment enhances the sustainability of fisheries resources;

2. Increased efficiency in seafood marketing improves consumer confidence and industry profitability;

3. Improved accuracy in trade descriptions enables consumers to make more informed choices when purchasing seafood and reduces the potential for misleading and deceptive conduct;

4. More efficient management of seafood related public health incidents and food safety through improved labelling and species identification reduces public health risk;

5. To enhance the marketability and consumer acceptability of the standard fish names used for a species.

The Australian Fish Names StandardContains 5000 standard fish names

for fish including invertebratesIs continually being amended to

ensure it remains relevantIs available as a printed standard

and a searchable database where you can search a scientific name or a standard fish name

Based on premise of one name per species

The Fish Names CommitteeThe Standards Development

Technical Committee responsible for the maintenance of the AFNS

Has a rigorous process for considering applications to amend or add names to the standard

Needs to have a 66% majority before an application is approved

Independent Chair Roy PalmerSeafood Industry Peak Body Representative

Gus Dannoun

Australian Fishery Managers Forum Representative

Chair of AFMF (Ian Curnow) with rotating attendance dependent on location of meeting or nominee

Seafood Importers Representative Norm GrantEnd-user Representative (Hospitality) George HillEnd-user Representative (Retail/ Supermarket)

Hamish Allen (Woolworths)

Recreational Fisheries Representative

Russell Conway

Expertise based member Nick RuelloExpertise based member Gordon YearsleyExpertise based member Don Tuma

Representative FNC Membership

Extract from the AFNS

PRAWNS - Penaeidae28 711077 Blue Prawn Litopenaeus stylirostris Stimpson, 187428 711079 Vannamei Prawn Litopenaeus vannamei Boone, 1931

28 711905 TIGER PRAWN

Marsupenaeus japonicus, Penaeus esculentus & Penaeus semisulcatus

28 711046 Kuruma Prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus Bate, 1888

28 711044 Brown Tiger Prawn Penaeus esculentus Haswell, 187928 711053 Grooved Tiger Prawn Penaeus semisulcatus De Haan, 184428 711051 Black Tiger Prawn Penaeus monodon Fabricius, 1798

28 711908 KING PRAWN Melicertus latisulcatus & Melicertus plebejus

28 711047 Western King Prawn Melicertus latisulcatus Kishinouye, 189628 711048 Redspot King Prawn Melicertus longistylus Kubo, 194328 711052 Eastern King Prawn Melicertus plebejus Hess, 1865

CAAB Code Standard Fish Name

Approved Scientific name and authority

Where is the AFNS nowAn Australian StandardReferred to in the Food Standards

Code as a guidance noteAll state fisheries agencies are

referencing the AFNS as legislation is being rewritten

Is a requirement for seafood exporters

Is being used by Fish Names Brands Scheme subscribers

The AFNS – Future PlansThe AFNS is to be mainstreamed

and become part of all seafood codes, procedures and entities

Need to have innovative names to facilitate marketability of a species

Needs to harmonise with initiatives such as the Stock Status Report, state fisheries legislation

If you need to do performance reporting, you must have the right name

The AFNS – Future Plans (2)Must meet the needs of • fisheries managers• retailers• fishing industry• Importers and exporters• Food service industry• Regulatory and food safety agencies

Industry Survey

CLG Defining Australian Sustainable Seafood - Wild Capture Fisheries Survey included question:

SEAFOOD LABELLING FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) don’t include a mandatory regulation for retailers and restaurants to abide by Fish Names within the Food Standards Code. What should be done to ensure that retailers and restaurants abide by the use of Fish Names?

Sample of responses:

‘Appropriate legislation needs to be developed to mandate their use.’

‘Spend some money on advertising. Look at what lamb has done!!’

‘Generate more public support for it so that you get consumer demand for it. If people care then retailers will too.’

Final WordFish names is where it is today because

the people involved believe in it.It is time for everyone to play their part,

mainstream fish names, and make the adoption of Standard Fish Names a given

If the names that is currently in the AFNS, does not meet your needs, put through an application to change the name.

Get Involved