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HR 3155 101th Congress House Agriculture and Food Consumer education Employee training Epidemiology Fish inspection Fish processing ships Food contamination Government paperwork Imports Labeling Medical statistics Quality control Seafood Shellfish fisheries Standards

Fish and Fish Products Safety Act of 1990

Introduced: August 4, 1989 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 13 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 16, 1990
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 550.
Oct 16, 1990
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries discharged.
Oct 16, 1990
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment.
Oct 15, 1990
Referred sequentially to the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries for a period ending not later than Oct. 16, 1990 for consideration of such provisions of the bill and amendment as fall within the committee's jurisdiction pursuant to clause 1(n), rule X.
Oct 15, 1990
Reported to House (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 99-875, Part I. jurisdiction pursuant to clause 1(n), rule X.
Mar 13, 1990
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 13, 1990
Ordered to be Reported Without Recommendation (Amended).
Feb 21, 1990
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Feb 21, 1990
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Sep 15, 1989
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Sep 1, 1989
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment.
Aug 4, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Aug 4, 1989
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fish and Fish Products Safety Act of 1990 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards for chemical and microbiological contaminants, parasites, and toxins (CPTs) to assure that fish and fish products are safe for human consumption. Deems fish and fish products unsafe if they: (1) contain a CPT exceeding an established standard or for which no standard has been established; or (2) are harvested in a fish adulteration area.

Directs the Secretary to prescribe safety and sanitation standards for fish and fish product processing. Provides for an official mark signifying conformance with the standards. Directs the Secretary to establish requirements for training and certification in sanitation, quality control, and standards compliance for employees of processing facilities. Directs the Secretary to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to identify CPTs and recommend priorities for the development of standards.

Requires any person who owns or operates a fish or fish products processing facility or who imports fish or fish products to register annually with the Secretary. Allows the Secretary to exempt classes of facilities from registration if the Secretary determines that registration is not needed for enforcement of this Act.

Replaces provisions relating to examination of seafood on request of a packer with provisions directing the Secretary to conduct frequent and random, unannounced inspections of fish and fish product processing facilities. Requires domestic facilities in which imported fish and fish products are processed to be inspected at least at the same rate as other domestic facilities.

Directs the Secretary, for fish or fish products imported from a country without a certificate issued under provisions of this Act, to adopt a program of intensive inspection, sampling, and testing at the port of entry.

Allows the Secretary to: (1) authorize State and other Federal agencies to conduct the inspections of processing facilities; and (2) pay up to 50 percent of the cost of State agencies conducting inspections.

Directs the Secretary, if (on the basis of monitoring) the fish from a particular area are determined likely to be unsafe, to designate the area as a fish adulteration area.

Requires that a shellfish harvesting area be deemed an adulteration area if: (1) the State with jurisdiction does not have an approved program regulating the harvesting; or (2) the State has prohibited shellfish harvesting in the area.

Declares imported fish or fish products misbranded unless the labeling discloses the country in which it is processed and from which it is imported.

Directs the Secretary, on request, to review the fish inspection programs of countries exporting to the United States and, if a country has a program at least as stringent as under this Act and the country will permit inspections, sampling, and testing, to issue a certificate to the country stating that the country maintains such a program.

Authorizes the Secretary to require the recall of fish or fish products which the Secretary finds are reasonably likely to cause a serious, adverse health consequence or death. Directs the Secretary to require owners and operators of processing facilities to adopt tracing methods.

Allows the Secretary, under agreements and on a reimbursable basis or otherwise, to use the personnel and facilities of Federal, State, or local agencies or foreign governments for registrations, inspections, and monitoring under this Act.

Provides for civil penalties for violations of specified provisions of this Act, including injunctions and seizures for certain violations. Prohibits discrimination against any employee for participating in the implementation of this Act.

Directs the Secretary to establish a comprehensive public awareness campaign on the handling and preparation of fish and fish products.

Authorizes the Secretary to conduct, directly or through grants or contracts, research and demonstrations to assist in implementing this Act.

Directs the Secretary, through the Centers for Disease Control, to establish an active surveillance system regarding the frequency of human disease in the United States associated with the consumption of fish and fish products.

Authorizes appropriations.

What's happening now October 16, 1990

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 550.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4