SOLOMON ISLANDS REGISTERED OFFICIAL T.R.A.C.E.S BY E.U

Solomon Islands has been registered as an official Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) participant as of 1st July this year.

This was made possible by the European Union (EU).

A statement from the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) says this status allows the Health Competent Authority and Industry to have access to the EU electronic certification systems.

It adds TRACES is a trans-European network for veterinary health which notifies, certifies and monitors imports, exports and trade in animals and animal products.

Economic operators in the private sector and competent authorities all over the world can use this web-based network to trace back and forth animal and animal product movement.

Staff members of the National Food Safety Unit of the Ministry of Health recently undertook training in the TRACES system in Honiara, followed by training of Soltuna staff at Noro in late June.

FFA’s Trade Development Advisor Ratu Jope Tamani and Laite Savuro from the Fiji Health Competent Authority led the training.

Meanwhile, the statement said Australia’s Government PHARMA project and the FFA/SPC EU DEVFISH II project provided much-needed funding support.

In a launching ceremony at the Soltuna processing facility at Noro, Solomon Islands Competent Authority team leader Ethel Mapulo noted the country’s registration as official TRACES participant by the EU has taken some time to happen, but it’s a significant step for the country.

She said as participants, the Solomon Islands National Food Unit and the domestic tuna industry can now electronically document all fish exports to the EU and have the ability to monitor fish export consignments as they enter and progress through EU Border

Inspection Posts and onto processing facilities in the EU.

Soltuna Managing Director Adrian Wickham and General Manager Jim Alexander represented Soltuna at the launch.