A first of its kind, the Seafood Regulatory Compliance Manual is a comprehensive work that comprises the myriad of governmental requirements and guidelines applicable to all aspects of seafood from harvest to the marketplace. The intent of the authors was to develop for users a manual that is easy to use, with a structured format to ensure compliance with governmental requirements. They have been highly successful in achieving this objective and presenting a user friendly tool. The manual represents a major advancement by providing a single source reference to all requirements, except for some specific end product and labeling requirements, for a highly complex global industry. In addition, it is an outstanding contribution to the seafood industry in addressing a long-standing need for systems changes in the form of a single source manual, in contrast to the obsolete approach of having to access a library of multiple regulations and the affiliated agencies' bureaucracies to determine how and/or whether compliance with a particular regulation has been achieved. For those engaged in international commerce in seafood, the manual should be especially useful. Well integrated throughout the manual are the applicable provisions of the recommended international Codex standards for fish and shellfish products and the codes of hygienic and technological practice for handling and processing these products. These standards and codes were developed through an international harmonization process, and are familiar to seafood-producing countries worldwide.
