Bill Text: NJ SR56 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges FDA and Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference to work collaboratively to improve shellfish safety.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-15 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [SR56 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-SR56-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Urges FDA and Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference to work collaboratively to improve shellfish safety.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference to work collaboratively with the shellfish industry and State regulators to improve shellfish safety.
Whereas, The harvest and culture of shellfish have formed an important part of New Jersey's cultural heritage and economic development for hundreds of years; and
Whereas, The culture of shellfish is a sustainable practice with proven environmental benefits providing critical ecosystem services to New Jersey's marine environment; and
Whereas, The sustainable harvest and culture of shellfish provide important jobs and economic development with economic impacts in many related industries that are fundamental to the State's ocean economy; and
Whereas, The shellfish industry represents a significant portion of New Jersey's coastal economy with an estimated dockside value of about $80 million per year; and
Whereas, Shellfish are an excellent source of highly nutritional, essential, heart-healthy fish oils, protein, and minerals, and New Jersey produces some of the most delicious and highly sought after shellfish in the world; and
Whereas, Through the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) - a cooperative program between the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state regulatory agencies, and the shellfish industry - risks associated with eating shellfish are significantly reduced; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring, in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is involved with many aspects of the State's coastal water quality, which includes monitoring for compliance with the NSSP; and
Whereas, The DEP successfully works in cooperation with the FDA through the auspices of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) to implement the NSSP, with the aim of improving the monitoring, safety, and handling of the State's shellfish resources; and
Whereas, The DEP has worked with the industry, the FDA, and the ISSC to develop regulations and procedures to ensure that the State's shellfish are among the safest in the world; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue to work through the auspices of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) in cooperation with the shellfish industry and State regulators to regulate the shellfish industry, to ensure that adequate funds are available for research into methods to continue to improve shellfish sanitation, and to provide for proper education of producers, public health professionals, and consumers of shellfish about the risks and health benefits associated with the consumption of raw shellfish.
2. This House further respectfully urges the ISSC not to promulgate any regulation or guidance limiting the rights of New Jerseyans to enjoy and consume raw shellfish unless all other alternatives have been evaluated and the economic impacts of such action are fully considered, and respectfully requests that both the FDA and the ISSC inspect and evaluate the safety of imported shellfish products with standards equal to domestic National Shellfish Sanitation Program standards.
3. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration, to the Executive Director of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference, and to the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) to work collaboratively with the shellfish industry and State regulators to improve shellfish safety.
The shellfish industry represents a significant portion of New Jersey's coastal economy with an estimated dockside value of about $80 million per year.
Through the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) - a cooperative program between the FDA, state regulatory agencies, and the shellfish industry - risks associated with eating shellfish are significantly reduced. The New Jersey Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring, in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is responsible for monitoring for compliance with the NSSP. The DEP successfully works in cooperation with the FDA through the auspices of the ISSC to implement the NSSP, with the aim of improving the monitoring, safety, and handling of the State's shellfish resources. The DEP has worked with the industry, the FDA, and the ISSC to develop regulations and procedures to ensure that the State's shellfish are among the safest in the world.
This resolution would respectfully urge the FDA to continue to work through the auspices of the ISSC in cooperation with the shellfish industry and State regulators to regulate the shellfish industry, to ensure that adequate funds are available for research into methods to continue to improve shellfish sanitation, and to provide for proper education of producers, public health professionals, and consumers of shellfish about the risks and health benefits associated with the consumption of raw shellfish. The resolution further urges the ISSC not to promulgate any regulation or guidance limiting the rights of New Jerseyans to enjoy and consume raw shellfish unless all other alternatives have been evaluated and the economic impacts of such action are fully considered, and respectfully requests that both the FDA and the ISSC inspect and evaluate the safety of imported shellfish products with standards equal to domestic NSSP standards.
