Section 31. The clerk in charge shall keep a register of licensed slaughterers in the form contained in the Third Schedule hereto in which he shall enter the name of every slaughterer employed at the abattoir.

Section 32. No person shall slaughter any animal at the abattoir without first having obtained from the Council a slaughterer's licence which he shall exhibit to the clerk in charge before being enrolled in the register of slaughterers.
Section 33. (2) No person shall slaughter any animal or otherwise act as a slaughterer unless he is in possession of a valid licence.

Regulation 6. (1) The following approval procedures for establishments shall be implemented by the Competent Authority.

(2) Before management of an establishment commence to build, rebuild or adapt an establishment, acting on his own initiative or on initiative of the Competent Authority, an application shall be made to the Competent Authority to inform the Principal Veterinary Public Health Officer of the inspection service about the:

(a) activities carried to be out in the establishment;

(b) lay out (ground plan) and the product flow established in a product flow chart on the ground plan.

(3) After receiving the application, the Principal Veterinary Public Health Officer, by whatever name he is called, of the Veterinary Public Health Unit—
(a) shall verify whether the proposal submitted has fulfilled the requirements laid down in Regulation
46 to 74 of Part XI of these Regulations;

(b) shall send, within 14 days, an invitation to the management to discuss the demand.

(4) Once the Principal Veterinary Public Health Officer accepts the final proposal of the management, approval shall be made to the plans and specification. His approval shall be signified by affixing the official stamp of the Competent Authority over his signature to the plans and specifications.

(5) On completion of the building, construction or renovation, extension or adoption, the management shall inform the Principal Veterinary Public Health Officer in writing, inviting the Principal Veterinary Public Health Officer for an audit to be conducted on the establishment.
(6) After the audit, the Principal Veterinary Public Health Officer of the inspection service.

(a) shall verify whether the establishment meets the quality assurance and safety assurance conditions laid down in Part XI, XII and XIII with regard to the nature of the activities carried out in the establishment.

(b) shall within 14 days inform the management in writing whether or not the establishment has met the requirements and conditions
(7) After approval, the plant receives its national establishment approval number and an approval certificate/letter.

(8) The approval shall be reviewed if an establishment decides to carry out activities other than those for which it has received approval.

Regulation 36. (1) The following conditions concerning construction and equipment shall apply to vessels:
(a) The sections of the vessels or the containers reserved for the storage of fishery products shall—
(i) be covered and self draining;
(ii) be well insulated;
(iii) have provision for holding a reasonable quantity of ice or have an alternative means of refrigeration;
(iv) not contain objects or products liable to transmit harmful
properties or abnormal characteristics of the foodstuffs.
These sections or containers shall be designed as to allow them to be cleaned easily and to ensure that melt water cannot remain in contact with fishery products.
(b) Decks used for fish handling may be constructed of one or more of the following materials, namely surface- coated aluminium, fiberglass, timber- sheathed or coated with an epoxy finish or similar.
Where fish does not normally come in contact with the deck and the timber is clean, sound and well caulked untreated timber is allowed on exposed decks.
(c) Where operations are carried out in daylight hours unenclosed fish handling areas on decks shall be effectively roofed over or protected by a substantial and easily erected awning.
(d) Water used at any stage of processing shall comply with the parameters of potable water, laid down in Regulations 84 to 103 of Part XI of these Regulations or of clean sea water. Sea water intakes for vessels shall be located forward of any toilet or bilge discharge.
(e) Sinks, processing tables, equipment used for gutting, heading and the removal of fin and containers and
equipment in contact with the fishery products, shall be made of or coated with a material which is waterproof, resistant to decay, smooth and easy to clean and disinfect. When used they shall be completely clean. more than twenty-four (24) hours, other than those equipped for keeping fish, shellfish and molluscs alive without other means of conservation on board.
(2) When additional hygiene conditions are applicable for certain vessels, the general hygiene conditions applicable to fishery products on board all fishing vessels, laid down in regulation 36 of these Regulations are also applicable.
(3) The following conditions concerning construction and equipment shall apply:

(a) Fishing vessels shall be equipped with holds, tanks or containers for the storage of refrigerated or frozen fishery products at the temperature laid down by these Regulations. These holds shall be separated from the machinery space and the quarters reserved for the crew by partitions which are sufficiently impervious to prevent any contamination of the stored fishery products.
(b) The inside surface of the holds, tanks or containers shall be water proof and easy to wash and disinfect. It shall consist of a smooth material or failing that, smooth paint maintained in a good condition, not being capable of transmitting to the fishery products substances harmful to human health.
(c) The holds shall be designed to ensure that melt water cannot remain in contact with the fishery products.
(d) Containers used for the storage of products shall ensure their preservation under satisfactory conditions of hygiene and, in particular, allow drainage of water. When used they shall be completely clean.
(e) Refrigeration shall be carried out in refrigeration holds, refrigerated sea water tanks or other suitable equipment. Refrigeration capacity shall be sufficient to rapidly cool fish from ambient temperature to the temperature of melting ice and hold it at this temperature.
(f) Waterproof and separate storage room shall be provided for the storage of cartons, ship to shore containers and the like.
(g) Artificial lighting shall be provided where necessary and where handling, processing and inspection takes place at night and below deck and in enclosed processing areas.
The intensity of illumination shall be a minimum of: 220 lux in the processing area, 540 lux where the product is being inspected.
(h) Sanitary facilities including toilet and shower facilities shall be sufficient in number for the normal complement of crew. Any toilet shall be equipped with not hand/elbow operable wash basin located in the toilet room or immediately outside the door. A berth shall be available for each member of the crew and when required for a Fisheries Officer and a Veterinary Public Health Inspector.
(i) Hydraulic circuits shall be protected in such a way as to ensure no oil leakages can contaminate product.
(4) The following conditions concerning use and maintenance shall apply to vessels:
(a) The working decks, the equipment and the holds, tanks and containers shall be cleaned each time they are used for this purpose. Disinfecting, the removal of insects or rat extermination shall be carried out whenever necessary.
(b) Cleaning products, detergents and disinfectants, insecticides, rodenticides and all potentially toxic substances shall be stored in locked premises or cupboards physically separated from fish cartons and ship to shore containers. Their use shall not present any risk of contamination of the fishery products.


(2) Additional hygiene conditions applicable to the fishing vessels designed and equipped to preserve fishery products on board under satisfactory condition for more than 24 hours, laid down in regulation 37 of these Regulations are applicable.
(3) Fishing vessels equipped for chilling of fishery products in cooled seawater (CSW) (chilled by ice) or in refrigerated sea water (RSW) (chilled by mechanical means) shall comply with the following requirements.
(a) Tanks shall be equipped with adequate sea water filling and drainage installations and shall incorporate devices for achieving uniform temperature throughout the tanks;
(b) Tanks shall have a means of recording temperature connected to temperature sensor positioned in the section of the tank where temperatures are highest;
(c) The operation of the tank or container system shall secure a chilling rate which ensures the mix of fish and seawater reaches 3° C at the most six hours after loading and 0° C at the most after sixteen hours;
(d) After each unloading, the tanks circulation systems and containers shall be completely emptied and thoroughly cleaned using potable or clean seawater and should only be filled with clean seawater, and
(e) The date and the number of the tank shall be clearly indicated on the temperature recordings, which shall be kept available for the Inspection Service.

Regulation 36. (2) The following conditions concerning use and maintenance shall apply to the vessel:
(a) when used, the section of vessels or the containers reserved for the storage of fishery products shall be completely cleaned and, in particular, shall not be capable of being contaminated by the fuel used for the propulsion of the vessel or bilge water.
(b) after the fishery products have been unloaded, the containers, equipment and sections of vessels which are directly in contact with the fishery products shall be cleaned with potable water or clean water.
Regulation 37. (1)Additional hygiene conditions are applicable to the fishing vessels designed and equipped to preserve fishery products on board under satisfactory conditions for more than twenty-four (24) hours, other than those equipped for keeping fish, shellfish and molluscs alive without other eans of conservation on board.
(2) When additional hygiene conditions are applicable for certain vessels, the general hygiene conditions applicable to fishery products on board all fishing vessels, laid down in regulation 36 of these Regulations are also applicable.
(3) The following conditions concerning construction and equipment shall apply:
(a) Fishing vessels shall be equipped with holds, tanks or containers for the storage of refrigerated or frozen fishery products at the temperature laid down by these Regulations. These holds shall be separated from the machinery space and the quarters reserved for the crew by partitions which are sufficiently impervious to prevent any contamination of the stored fishery products.
(b) The inside surface of the holds, tanks or containers shall be water proof and easy to wash and disinfect. It shall consist of a smooth material or failing that, smooth paint maintained in a good condition, not being capable of transmitting to the fishery products substances harmful to human health.
(c) The holds shall be designed to ensure that melt water cannot remain in contact with the fishery products.
(d) Containers used for the storage of products shall ensure their preservation under satisfactory conditions of hygiene and, in particular, allow drainage of water. When used they shall be completely clean.
(e) Refrigeration shall be carried out in refrigeration holds, refrigerated sea water tanks or other suitable equipment. Refrigeration capacity shall be sufficient to rapidly cool fish from ambient temperature to the temperature of melting ice and hold it at this temperature.
(f) Waterproof and separate storage room shall be provided for the storage of cartons, ship to shore containers and the like.
(g) Artificial lighting shall be provided where necessary and where handling, processing and inspection takes place at night and below deck and in enclosed processing areas.

The intensity of illumination shall be a minimum of: 220 lux in the processing area, 540 lux where the product is being inspected.
(h) Sanitary facilities including toilet and shower facilities shall be sufficient in number for the normal complement of crew. Any toilet shall be equipped with not hand/elbow operable wash basin located in the toilet room or immediately outside the door. A berth shall be available for each member of the crew and when required for a Fisheries Officer and a Veterinary Public Health Inspector.
(i) Hydraulic circuits shall be protected in such a way as to ensure no oil leakages can contaminate product.
(4) The following conditions concerning use and maintenance shall apply to vessels:
(a) The working decks, the equipment and the holds, tanks and containers shall be cleaned each time they are used for this purpose. Disinfecting, the removal of insects or rat extermination shall be carried out whenever necessary.
(b) Cleaning products, detergents and disinfectants, insecticides, rodenticides and all potentially toxic substances shall be stored in locked premises or cupboards physically separated from fish cartons and ship to shore containers. Their use shall not present any risk of contamination of the fishery products.
Regulation 38.(1) General hygiene conditions applicable to fishery products on board all fishing vessels laid down in regulation
36 of these Regulations are applicable to fishery products caught on board fishing vessels equipped for freezing.
(2) Additional hygiene conditions applicable to the fishing vessels designed and equipped to preserve fishery products on board under satisfactory conditions for more than 24 hours laid down in regulation 37 of these Regulations are applicable.
(3) If fishery products are frozen on board, this operation shall be carried out in accordance with following conditions :
(a) Fishing vessels shall have freezing equipment, sufficiently powerful:
(i) to achieve rapid reduction in temperature (-18° C)
(ii) to keep products in storage rooms (-18° C)
(iii) to freeze whole fish in brine intended for canning (-9° C)
(b) Fresh products to be frozen shall comply with the requirements of the conditions for the fresh products laid down in regulation 162 of these Regulations.

(c) Temperature recording devices in storage rooms shall be located in a place where they can easily be read.
The temperature sensor of the recorder shall be located in the area furthest away from the cold storage, where the temperature in the storage room is the highest. Temperature charges shall be available at least during the period in which the products are stored.
(d) A freezer shall be physically separated from the hold in which the frozen food is stored, provided with separated refrigeration.
(e) If the freezer is located within a storage hold where frozen food is stored, it shall be separately refrigerated, provided with doors of a material that ensures its efficiency
when operating and effectively divides the freezer from the hold.
freezer holds, blast freezers, plate freezers and the like shall be capable of reducing the temperature of fish undergoing freezing to -18° C or colder.

(f) A waterproof, hygienic and separate storage room shall be provided for the storage of cartons (first and second envelope).

(g) On prawn trawlers, prawns can be packed and frozen whole or headed when the hygienic conditions comply with the requirements laid down in the general, the additional and the specific hygiene conditions laid down in regulation 36, 37 and 38 of these Regulations.

When prawns are headed before packing and freezing, special hygiene measures have to be taken to prevent contamination by the environmental circumstances.
here freezing in brine is used, the brine shall not be a source of contamination for the fish.
Regulation 120. A cleaning and disinfection procedure for food- contact surfaces, non-food contact surfaces and intermediary storage water tanks shall be documented and implemented:

(a) to ensure that the plant, after cleaning and disinfection is free from pathogens and that the Total Plate Count from food contact surfaces is below a level (cfu/cm2) approved by the competent authority,

(b) in order to prevent the build up of dirt such as scales and maggots and other residues as well as resistant microbiological populations,

(c) to ensure that the inner surfaces of the tanks shall not be a source of contamination for the potable water.


Regulation 133. (1) Floors, walls and partitions, ceilings or roof linings, equipment and instruments used for working on fishery products shall be kept in a satisfactory state of cleanliness and repair, so that they do not constitute a source of contamination for the products.

(2) Rodents, insects and any other vermin shall be systematically exterminated in the premises or on the equipment.
(3) Working areas, instruments and working equipment shall be used only for work on fishery products.

(4) Potable water, or clean sea water shall be used for all purposes.

(5) Detergents, disinfectants and similar substances shall be approved by the Competent Authority and used in such a way that they do not have adverse effects on the machinery, equipment and products.


Regulation 161. (3) The chilling of unpackaged fishery products shall be carried out under following conditions—

(a) Where chilled, unpackaged fishery products (raw material) are not dispatched, prepared or processed immediately after reaching the establishment, they shall be stored or displayed under ice in the establishment's chill storage room. Re- icing shall be carried out as often as necessary;

(b) The ice used, with or without salt, shall be made from potable water or clean sea water and be stored under hygienic conditions in containers provided for the purpose; such containers shall be kept clean and in a good state of repairs.

Persons handling condemned carcasses should be properly equipped with the necessary protective clothing such as gloves, long boots, apron, respirator and other safety gear

Section 34. (1) Every slaughterer shall be tidily and cleanly clad in a blue overall or such other uniform as may be approved of by the Medical Officer.

Regulation 128. (1) In order to avoid contamination of the product a high standard of hygiene of the personnel, premises and equipment shall be maintained.

(2) These regulations apply to persons who:

(a) work in the unloading or reception of raw material, in the preparation/processing areas and in the packing areas;

(b) handle materials which come into contact with fishery products; and

(c) enter the establishments (including management staff, cleaners, inspectors and visitors).

(3) The persons mentioned above shall maintain a high level of personal hygiene and shall take all the necessary precautions to prevent the contamination of the fishery products.

(4) The requirements contained in this regulation shall be displayed in visible notices inside the working and handling rooms.
Regulation 135. (1) All personnel and visitors entering the preparation/processing rooms shall at all times wear—

(a) suitable clean protective working clothing of a light colour, which covers the minimum outdoor clothing or replaces it;

(b) impermeable boots or footwear which are kept clean and in good condition;

(c) head-covering (headgear) which completely encloses all hair. Personnel involved in medium or high risk product processing shall wear a head covering that encloses the scalp, hair , beard and moustache; and

(d) personnel who handle fish and unpacked fish products, shall wear an impermeable apron.

(2) Protective clothing shall—

(a) be provided by the management of the establishment;

(b) not have outer pockets, be clean and lightly coloured, be either washable or disposable, be maintained in a clean condition and in good repair;

(c) not be worn outside the preparation / processing areas;

(d) be changed and laundered daily or earlier when contaminated;

(e) be stored in a clean locker, or similar space or hung on a hanger in the clean changing room, away from contamination and the processing area.
(3) If the personnel who handle fish also wear gloves, these—

(a) shall be made of plastic or rubber,

(b) and either be of a disposable type or alternatively, be capable of being easily cleaned and disinfected,

(c) shall be in a sound, clean and sanitary condition.

(4) If the personnel wear disposable gloves or other disposable protective clothing, the disposable clothing shall be discarded after use and not be reused.
Regulation 136. (1) All staff while on duty in food handling areas shall maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness.

(2) The personnel who handle fish shall not wear—

(a) jewellery, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches or earrings;

(b) nail varnish or fingernail polish and artificial eyelashes;

(c) watches; and

(d) other personal effects and clothing.

(3) Long hair shall be tied back and covered with a hair net, as well as a protective head covering specified in regulation 135 (l)(c).

(4) Any behaviour which could result in the contamination of fishery and fish products such as—

(a) smoking;

(b) use of tobacco;

(c) chewing;

(d) spitting;

(e) other unhygienic behaviour and

(f) eating and drinking;

shall be prohibited in fishery product handling areas, work and storage premises of fishery products.

(5) Clear legible notices and signs shall be prominently displayed to indicate and advise that these activities are prohibited.

Regulation 137. (1) All personnel shall wash their hands with hot water and soap frequently and in particular—

(a) on entering product processing areas;

(b) immediately after using the toilets;

(c) after handling dirty or contaminated materials;

(d) after chewing, eating, smoking or drinking;

(e) after cleaning procedures, handling detergents and similar clean up chemicals; and

(f) whenever contaminated.

The wearing of clean gloves does not exempt the

wearer from having to thoroughly wash their hands.

(2) Workers shall maintain hand hygiene during production and have facilities to wash their hands during work.

(3) Gloves and outer garments that contact fish or contact surfaces shall be made of an impermeable material and shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

(4) If gloves are worn, they shall also be washed, disinfected and dried (outside and inside) at regular intervals.

(5) Persons handling fishery products, ingredients and items used in food handling, shall wash and disinfect their hands immediately after handling any material that might be capable of transmitting contamination.

(6) Any person with an injury, a cut, an open wound or a wound that is infected shall not continue to handle the food or food contact surfaces until the injury is covered with a clean waterproof impermeable dressing that is securely attached.

(7) The plant shall be provided with a first aid box, which should contain—

(a) a sufficient quantity of impermeable dressings of a bright colour;

(b) antiseptic cream;

(c) cotton wool and adhesive tape; and

(d) alcohol or other disinfectant

Regulation 227. The implementation of a Product Safety Assurance System for the preparation and processing of fishery products means implementing all those actions aimed at ensuring and demonstrating that a fishery product satisfies the product safety requirements of this regulation.

(2) A Product Safety Assurance Programme (HACCP - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) has to be implemented if the hazard analysis reveals that processors have food safety hazards that they might control.

(3) The implementation of the HACCP system is laid down in Part XIII of these Regulations.

Section 45. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of these by-laws or who refuses, neglects or fails to comply with any order or direction given by an inspector or the clerk in charge for carrying any by-law into effect shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars.

Section 34. (2) Any inspector may prohibit any slaughterer who fails to comply with paragraph (1) of this by-law from slaughtering any animal or handling any fresh meat.