Chilled fish supply in Murmansk retail chain meeting new vet barriers

As of 15 March 2010 every chilled fish lot supplied to the retail network of Murmansk will be checked by the Russian vets thus suspending the simplified routine of veterinary clearance of chilled fish harvested in the province's inshore waters and landed for direct sale in retail outlets, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/) with reference to KP.

Such measure has been initiated by Murmansk Consumers' Protection Union which has responded to a complaint about the quality of chilled fish purchased in one of the city's retail outlets. The check has disclosed presence of Anisakidae intestinal roundworms which are actually regarded common helminths for the Barents Sea fish and which are killed by ordinary freezing and heating (boiling or roasting).

Until now Murmansk inshore fishermen have been allowed to land fresh and chilled fish to local retailers without the vet checks, the indulgence approved by the governor under the initiative of the province's veterinary chief.