Phase 2: Traceability Systems for Wild Caught Lobster, via Sense-T and Pathways to Market

Funded Activity Summary

The need for traceability was first prioritised in strategic planning by SRL because of a bloom in harmful algae (HABs). These events in 2013 occurred during a closed season but highlighted the vulnerability of the industry to the lack of traceability - a bloom in the open season and subsequent recall would have led to all. Australian product being recalled, not just lobsters from affected areas. The impact would have been catastrophic. The need is now recognised to be wider than HABs and includes risk management options for food safety incidents beyond toxic algal blooms, compliance with changes to requirements of importing countries, business-to-business and business-to-consumer verification of food safety, quality, and sustainability credentials. Traceability also enables the industry to look back at harvesting operations - what locations and practices led to the best product delivered to consumers?

Seafood is the most highly traded food commodity globally, and yet there is very little traceability in any seafood supply chain, or country of origin labelling at the point of market, including those used for live Australian Southern Rock Lobster (ASRL). A successful project will lead the seafood industry in traceability, providing a lead for other seafood industries. Improved technical traceability may also open up new markets such as the European Union - currently no SRL operators are accredited for lobster export to the EU.

The main need at present is the Chinese market by the introduction of a tagging/traceability system to clearly identify and differentiate ASRL in the China market from other imported lobster. Indeed, actions to address traceability forms part of the first priority issue within Objective 1 (“Add value along the supply chain from fisher to customer”) within SRL’s SRL’s Strategy 2022, and previously Strategic Plan 2011-16. These type of requirements are increasingly being applied for traded food and are evolving. A traceability system for ASRL would also facilitate compliance with the Global Seafood Sustainability Initiative (GSSI) emerging.

Objectives:
1. Traceability/sensor technologies integrated in chains;
2. Traceability system validated;
3. Traceability system value proposition(s) determined.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-06-2017

End Date: 17-07-2019

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $265,000.00

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

App | Automation | Biotoxin | Fishing Gear | Food Safety | Labelling | Market opportunities | Traceability | Wild Catch

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