Department of fisheries

Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources is the COMPETENT AUTHORITY for exporting fishery products. The main objective of the unit is to ensure the quality and safety of the export fishery products intended for human consumption, placing on the international market through implementing the Fish Products (Export) Regulations, 1998.

This unit performs the following services to ensure that the fishery products meet the international standards.
	Approval of fish processing establishments processing fish for export.

	Issue of operating licenses to establishments to process fish for export.

	Inspection of fish processing establishments, landing sites and fishing boats.

	Inspection of transportation of fish (raw materials) from the landing sites to the processing plants.

	Issue of health certificates for each consignment of fish/fishery products for export.

	Approval of laboratories used for testing samples of products, water, ice etc.

	Conduct an official sampling programme for water, ice and fishery products.

	Conduct awareness programmes for the industry in quality & safety.

	Conduct an official residue monitoring programme for aquaculture products.

LEGISLATIONS
	Fish Processing Establishments Regulations No. 1 of 2003 (The Gazette of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary No. 1320/17 of December 24, 2003) amending the Fish Processing Establishments Regulations, 1998 (The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1036/13 of July 16, 1998).

	Fish Products (Export) Regulations, 1998 (The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1045/1 of September 14, 1998).

	Amendment to Fish Products (Export) Regulations, 1998 (The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1126/20 of April 06, 2000) to cover drinking water.

	Aquaculture Management (Disease Control) Regulations, 2000 (The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1155/9 of October 24, 2000).

	Amendment to Fish Products (Export) Regulations, 1998 (The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1230/14 of April 03, 2002) to cover Additives.

	Aquaculture (Monitoring of Residues) Regulations, 2002 (The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1237/19 of May 22, 2002).

TESTING LABORATORIES
	The testing laboratories have been approved for the analysis of water, ice and fish products under the Quality Control System for the export of fishery products. These laboratories have to comply with the ISO 17025 standards.

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