Accreditation Scheme Keeps Seafood in Safe Waters

Hong Kong's reputation as a gourmet paradise is reinforced with over 230 eateries and outlets from major seafood traders and seawater suppliers successfully accredited under the Quality Seawater Assurance Scheme. The Scheme is initiated by the HKSAR Government with the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) as the Accrediting Body.

Speaking at the Scheme's certificate presentation ceremony today (26 August 2008), Ms Olivia Nip, Deputy Secretary for Food and Hygiene (Food) of the HKSAR Government, said: "Since we launched the Scheme in 2006, the number of successfully accredited seafood outlets and seawater suppliers had grown continuously each year. Today, of all the 233 accredited outlets, 152 have gone a step further and attained the 'Excellent Performance' status. It is recognized that the Scheme can enhance the safety standard of seafood and raise public confidence, which in turn can benefit the businesses of the operators."

Highlighting HKPC's efforts in helping the trade to minimize contamination of seafood through this Scheme, Mr Wilson Fung, Executive Director of the Council, said: "Besides being the Scheme's accrediting body, HKPC also uses its professional knowledge to help the applicants to improve the quality of fish tank water at source. Such close partnership has enabled the expansion of the scope of accredited operators to cover the entire supply chain of the seafood industry, from seawater suppliers, to seafood wholesalers, transport companies, seafood diners, hotels, supermarkets and wet markets' seafood vendors etc."

This year, a new landmark was set as the first seafood wholesaler from a Fish Marketing Organization-operated wholesale fish market in Hong Kong was successfully accredited.

For further information about the Scheme, please visit the website: www.hkpc.org/qsas, or contact HKPC's Mr Kenny Wong at tel. (852) 2788 5647 or e-mail: kenny@hkpc.org. For other media enquiries, please contact Mr Felix Chan at tel. (852) 2788 5036 or email: felixchan@hkpc.org.

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Mr Jonathan Ho
General Manager
Corporate Communications
Tel: (852) 2788 6390
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
Email: jonathanho@hkpc.org
Website: www.hkpc.org

26 August 2008