As the demand for seafood is growing thick globally the seafood industry of Australia has become increasingly concerned and frustrated in recent years about the costs of complying with regulations. The SSA Board has made red tape reduction one of its top priorities and has committed SSA resources to tackling this problem head-on.
Geoff Gorrie, SSA’s chairman, explained that reducing the costs of complying with regulations throughout the seafood supply chain is just as important as improving financial returns through increased market access and higher product prices. It is said that this identifies areas where significant cost reductions may be achieved by removing burdensome and unnecessary regulation, streamlining regulatory requirements within and between jurisdictions, and gaining mutual recognition across private sector and government services (such as food safety and export audits, etc) to reduce duplication.
Secondly, much more specific information is needed about the true extent of the red tape problem. SSA will be gathering this through an industry-wide survey. It is told that a much clearer picture is needed of the current problems faced by industry so that SSA can prioritise them so that the most serious get the most effort, and quantify the costs of compliance and the potential savings that can be achieved.
SSA is keen to act decisively on industry concerns about red tape. Geoff Gorrie comments that if we can get the commitment of the entire seafood industry in giving their views, we will have a real weapon against red tape that the industry has never had before.
