Good morning. I'm a member of the Fundy Regional Forum, made up of southern N.B. fishing industry representatives. Our area of representation is from the Canada-U.S. border to Alma. As well, it takes in the island communities of Grand Manan, Deer Island, and Campobello.
Our forum was recently addressed on the subject of paralytic shellfish poisoning in lobster by Mike Beattie. He was a doctor of veterinary medicine with the Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture. I have here an information update with Health Canada, and it's a new, updated version. It says:
Health Canada recommends that: - children not eat lobster tomalley. - adults restrict their consumption of lobster tomalley to no more than the amount from one cooked lobster per day.
We feel on the forum that this PSP in lobster restricts our product in the marketplace, and that there would be a need for more research and development in testing of the product itself.
Now, I have a letter that we drew up and sent to the minister, and we also sent it to the president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I would like to read the letter. It starts:
Dear Minister Shea and Ms. Swan,
This letter follows the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia tomalley sampling and analysis program in the fall of 2008. It is the result of subsequent discussions relating to possible revisions to Health Canada's tomalley consumption advisory.
This updated information from Health Canada is updated from the last advisory that was sent out, and it is recommended that less tomalley be eaten. It's a little more of a concern at this time. It was just put out on March 19, just recently.
The Fundy Regional Forum is a seafood industry stakeholder committee created as result of recommendations stemming from a renewal process for New Brunswick fisheries. It was established with support from Minister of Fisheries, the Hon. Rick Doucet and the Minister's Round Table on Fisheries. The forum promotes common interests and development, and addresses opportunities or challenges that face the seafood industry. Members are dedicated to community economic and social well being and come from areas stretching from the Canada-United States border, including the island communities of Grand Manan, Campobello and Deer Island, to the port of Alma in the upper Bay of Fundy.
Forum members are now aware of several scientific information gaps on the relationships between lobster, tomalley, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning and human health. Your support to provide answers on this sensitive, food safety issue is necessary to provide stability and market confidence, as well as to reduce further, the potential for negative impacts within an already volatile world market. Today, Canadian lobster exports are estimated to be in the vicinity of 1 billion dollars.
Despite some initial investigations being undertaken, a continuation of research should be a foregone conclusion and maintained as a priority for Atlantic lobster. It is imperative that funding assistance be provided to evaluate and/or establish the following:
i. Tomalley consumption, toxicity and human health
ii. Spatial and temporal distribution and predictability of Paralytic Shellfish Poison and ranges in lobster and other crustaceans
iii. Accumulation and depletion of toxins in live and cooked products
iv. Diagnostics, traceability and market compliance
The collaborative research approach established during the fall of 2008 that included the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Atlantic Veterinary College Lobster Science Centre, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, lobster harvesters and association should again be initiated and funded.
We understand that finding money for research can be problematic, especially for the fisheries and seafood sectors. We would anticipate that with the new fiscal year approaching, some very serious consideration can be given and funding assistance applied to resolve some of those important issues identified.
We believe that your funding support is consistent with the goals, actions, and priorities established under the Fisheries Renewal Framework for New Brunswick. The spring lobster fishery is rapidly approaching. Coordination, timing and establishment of lead roles for any projects are critical given the onset of the fishery on April 1.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to a positive response on this important issue.
In short, our lobsters are being rejected from some marketplaces, particularly Japan. This puts more pressure on our other markets. We feel that with a little more in-depth research into the PSP in lobster, we can clear our product for markets worldwide and on all consumers' tables.
Thank you very much.