The Good Practice Guide to Handling and Storing Live Crustacea Research and Development, Seafish Author: Marcus Jacklin, Jason Combes This project is part-financed by the European Union through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), the structural fund for fisheries. FIFG aims to maintain a dynamic and competitive fishing industry and revitalise areas dependent on fishing. It is administered in the UK by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The Good Practice Guide to Handling and Storing Live Crustacea Summary Seafish has an ongoing programme to produce good manufacturing practice guidelines (GMP) for the fishing and related industries. These GMP guidelines have been produced for commercial operatives engaged in handling and storing live crustacea within the United Kingdom. They aim to help businesses achieve high standards of operation by encouraging practices that ensure product safety, product quality, and efficient use of resources. The advice has been produced in collaboration with the industry and appropriate regulators. The guidelines are relevant to sectors that handle live crustacea from capture to the point of dispatch (primary producers). They cover activities aboard vessels, at live holding premises ashore and during ‘vivier’ transportation. The use of this guide by fishermen is voluntary and it does not have legal status. The guide describes relevant legal requirements and some interpretation may be included; however, they do not absolve the Trade from the law. The information in it will help fishermen meet their legal obligations, and ensure the safety of the fish they land. The advice is for guidance and information purposes only; the document is not intended to be used as a formal training manual. This project has been part financed by EU FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) delivered through the Scottish Executive and administered by Seafood Scotland. i © Seafish A Practical Guide to Handling and Storing of Live Crustacea Table of Contents: Summary 1. Introduction.................................................................................................1 1.1 Background..........................................................................................1 1.2 The Need for GMP Guides...................................................................1 1.3 Purpose, scope and remit ....................................................................3 1.4 Structure of the Guidance ....................................................................4 2. Legislation ..................................................................................................5 2.1 Introduction to Legislation for Handling Live Crustacea Commercially... within the UK ........................................................................................5 2.2 Summary of Legal Requirements.........................................................5 2.2.1 Food Safety and Food Hygiene..................................................6 2.2.2 Animal Health..............................................................................7 2.2.3 Animal Welfare...........................................................................7 2.3 Structure of Guidance ..........................................................................7 2.3.1 Vessels.......................................................................................9 2.3.2 Shore........................................................................................25 2.3.3 Transport..................................................................................43 3. General Principles and Guidance for Storing and Handling of Live Crustacea ................................................................................................60 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................60 3.2 Background to Crustacea...................................................................60 3.2.1 Stress in Live Crustacea .........................................................61 3.2.2 Common and Latin Names of Live Crustacea.........................62 3.2.3 Capture Methods.....................................................................63 3.3 Biological Impacts – How Crustacea Live ..........................................65 3.3.1 Oxygen....................................................................................65 3.3.2 Impact of Oxygen Factors on Storage and Handling...............65 3.3.3 Growth and Moulting...............................................................66 3.3.4 Temperature ...........................................................................67 3.3.5 Feeding ...................................................................................68 3.3.6 Illumination..............................................................................69 3.3.7 Vibration, Impacts and Electricity ............................................70 3.4 Storage Methods................................................................................70 3.4.1 Storage of Crustacea Out of Water.........................................70 3.4.2 Seawater Supply to Storage Systems.....................................72 3.4.3 Filtration of Seawater ..............................................................74 3.4.4 Storage Methods for Retail, Food Service and Consumers ....77 3.5 Handling Live Crustacea ....................................................................78 3.5.1 Pre-treatment before Handling and Onward Transport ...........78 3.5.2 Initial Handling by Fishing Gear and Fishermen .....................78 3.5.3 Good Handling Practice is Essential for Everyone that Handles Live Crustacea ........................................................................78 3.5.4 Selecting the Best ...................................................................79 © Seafish A Practical Guide to Handling and Storing of Live Crustacea 3.5.5 Grade for the Best...................................................................81 3.5.6 Undesirable Contamination of Live Crustacea ........................81 3.5.7 Generic quality Assessment for Live Crustacea......................83 3.5.8 Scheduling or Business Arrangements ...................................84 3.5.9 Disposal of Fallen Stock and Vivier Water ..............................84 3.5.10 Stunning or Dispatch of Live Crustacea ..................................84 3.5.11 The ‘Domino Effect’.................................................................86 3.5.12 Further Reading ......................................................................86 3.6 Summary Data Sheets .......................................................................87 4. Specific species guidance.......................................................................91 4.1 Lobster ...............................................................................................92 4.2 Specific Guidance for Nephrops.........................................................99 4.3 Specific Guidance for Brown Crab ...................................................105 4.4 Specific Guidance for Spider Crab (Maja brachydactyla).................111 4.5 Specific Guidance for Velvet Swimming Crab..................................116 4.6 Specific Guidance for Common Prawn (Palaemon serratus) ...........120 4.7 Specific Guidance for Squat Lobsters ..............................................129 5. Further Information ................................................................................133 5.1 Seafish Reports................................................................................133 5.2 External Reports..............................................................................135 6. Identifying and Controlling Food Hazards ...........................................136 6.1 Introduction ......................................................................................136 7. Appendices .............................................................................................139 Appendix I – Cleaning Schedules.............................................................140 Appendix II - Traceability ..........................................................................146 © Seafish A Practical Guide to Handling and Storing of Live Crustacea 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Seafish has an ongoing programme to produce good manufacturing practice (GMP) guidelines for the fishing and related industries. These GMP guidelines have been produced for commercial operatives engaged in handling and storing live crustacea within the United Kingdom. They aim to help businesses achieve high standards of operation by encouraging practices that ensure product safety, product quality, and efficient use of resources. The advice has been produced in collaboration with the industry and appropriate regulators. The guidelines are relevant to sectors that handle live crustacea from capture to the point of dispatch (primary producers). They cover activities aboard vessels, at live holding premises ashore and during ‘vivier’ transportation. The information will help fishermen meet their legal obligations, and ensure the safety of the fish they land. The advice is for guidance and information purposes only; the document is not intended to be used as a formal training manual. This project has been part financed by EU FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) delivered through the Scottish Executive and administered by Seafood