SEAFOOD HACCP ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING

History of the Seafood HACCP Alliance

The National Sea Grant Program funded a two-year proposal to support plans for a "Seafood HACCP Alliance" for training and education. This Alliance was initiated by the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and their regional affiliate of Southern States (AFDOSS) in conjunction with a cadre of sea Grant Seafood Specialists which originally assisted the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) with their initial HACCP training programs. The first formal Alliance meeting, June 22-23, 1994 in Portland, Maine established a project 'Steering Committee' largely based on the contributing authors for the original proposal. This Committee includes members representing the three principal federal agencies; Food & Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture, and National Marine Fisheries Service, the various state agency organizations through AFDO regional affiliates and the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference, and the industry trade associations, NFI and Food Products Association (formerly National Food Processors Association).

The proposed approach recognized the essential role of state regulatory authorities, the educational network of Sea Grant and Cooperative Extension Service, and the need for regional attention per seafood diversity. The Alliance does not set or recommend policy. Their primary role rests with education and communication for a more uniform implementation of HACCP. They accomplished this objective by developing a uniform national HACCP education, training and technical assistance program for the seafood industry and federal, state and local food inspectors. They instruct this dual audience in a coordinated and mutual manner that is not intended to be exclusive. They recognize, encourage and plan to assist any related educational efforts be they private, institutional and/or of government base.

Specific tasks addressed by the Alliance included:

1. Formalizing the 'Seafood HACCP Alliance' in terns of organization and inter-program communications and cooperation per the educational objectives. (Chrm. Dan Smyly)
   
2. Developing and integrating existing HACCP materials into a "Core Seafood HACCP Curriculum." This curriculum was designed to help in training any interested party, including federal, state and local food inspectors, and the seafood industry. Features under consideration are the recommended formats and duration for training sessions and use of combined sessions overlapping regulatory and commercial participation. Species per process specific curricula are included. (Chrm. Donn Ward)
   

3. Designing an "evaluation mechanism" to judge agency and industry learning performance. This helped to assure agency and industry understanding of basic HACCP concepts and regulatory expectations. The recommendations considered audience experience, type of education delivery and length of programs. (Chrm. George Flick)
   

4. Training a cadre of "Seafood HACCP Instructors" and establishing criteria for evaluating acceptable HACCP training program content and instructor qualifications. Selected sites for this initial training assured coverage by different geographic settings and commercial activity. (Chrm. Mike Moody)
   

5. Preparing educational materials for sectors of the seafood industry that complement the processing and importing sectors (i.e., commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, seafood shippers, retailers, and food service operators), and the public. These materials emphasize the importance and benefits of HACCP in increasing seafood safety and quality. (Chrm. Don Kramer and Bob Price)
   

6. Developing a 'Compendium' of approved seafood processing methods and recommended methods for HACCP monitoring and recording. (Chrm. Bob Price)
   

7. Exploring the use of 'pilot-testing' to introduce HACCP with regulatory and industry participation in actual commercial settings while exercising a 'processing authority' approach as proposed by FDA. (Chrm. Steve Otwell)
   

8. Maintaining and distributing a list of pertinent research to help implement and advance HACCP programs. (Chrm. Ken Hilderbrand)
   

• Generic HACCP Forms and Plans - examples of generic seafood HACCP forms plans are for your information only. They should not be used without modification. Each HACCP plan must be specific for the processing plant, species processed, and processing methods used.
• HACCP Training Calendar
• Next Seafood HACCP Alliance Meeting, November 15-16, 2006 in San Antonio, TX
• Sanitation Control Procedures Training Calendar
• Seafood HACCP Alliance Steering Committee (2006)*
• Training Program Helps Keep Seafood Safe (2000) - LSU