Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
1033. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a system of fish labelling here in order that the source of a catch and the boat landing are identifiable to the consumer. [10078/16]
View answerSpecific provisions concerning consumer information set down in Council Regulation 1379/2013 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products which came into effect in December 2014 and are transposed by S.I. 121 of 2016 – European Union (Labelling of Fishery and Aquaculture Products) Regulations 2016. Products to which the regulations apply must provide the specified information including the common and scientific names of the fish, the production method (whether the fish is caught or farmed), category of fishing gear for wild fish, whether the fish was defrosted and date of minimum durability where appropriate. The Regulation also requires detailed catch area information for some catch areas (FAO fishing area 27 and FAO fishing area 37), i.e. the name in writing of the sub-area or division listed in the FAO fishing areas, as well as the name of such zone expressed in terms understandable to the consumer, or a map or pictogram showing that zone. Additional information set out in the Regulation, including details of the flag State of the vessel that caught the products, can also be provided on a voluntary basis. The provisions of the Regulation apply in addition to the Food Information Regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to the consumer.
