MALAYSIA`S FISHERIES PRODUCTS BACK IN EU MARKETS BY MAY 15

KUCHING (Malaysia), May 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's fisheries products will be
back in the European Union (EU) markets when permission is given for the six
local fisheries processing centres to export their products to the affected
countries
beginning May 15.

Deputy Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Rohani Abdul Karim
said the processing centres would be given permission to export their products
following their compliance with the EU health and food standards.

She hoped that the new development would serve as a beginning for other
entrepreneurs in the industry to venture into the EU markets.

In a statement e-mailed to Bernama Friday, Rohani said that effective Jan 1,
2010, the EU would introduce a new regulation in the form of the
catch-certification scheme to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported
and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The aim of this certification scheme is to halt the import of IUU fishery
products into the EU where for processed products imported into the EU, the
importers will have to submit a statement issued by the processing company of
the exporting country providing information establishing the link between the
processed products and the fish used as raw material.

She also said that the ministry and the European Commission were working to
draw up an integrated development programme to improve the living standards and
income of fishermen in the country.

The EC had allocatted between EURO 1.5 million and EURO 2 million for the
programme, she said, adding that a workshop to discuss the matter was held in
Putrajaya Thursday.

--BERNAMA