18 AAC 34.625. Requirements for processors

(a) A processor may not receive seafood products from a tender vessel or a fishing vessel subject to the requirements of 18 AAC 34.600 unless the tender vessel or fishing vessel has received the inspection notice or waiver under 18 AAC 34.605(b) (2).

(b) Before accepting delivery from a tender vessel or fishing vessel subject to 18 AAC 34.600, the processor shall examine the delivering vessel, including the fishing gear, hull, deck, fish hold, work clothes, and equipment for signs of oil contamination.

(1) all seafood product from each lot and load that consists of less than 200 units; or

(2) at least 200 units from each lot or load that consists of 200 or more units.

(d) During processing, the processor shall continuously inspect for signs of oil contamination

(1) seafood product as it is processed; and

(2) food-contact surfaces of equipment and work clothes.

(e) If oil contamination is found on one or more units of seafood product during delivery or during processing, on unloading or holding equipment, on food-contact surfaces of equipment, or on work clothes, the processor shall immediately

(1) cease processing;

(2) notify the department that oil contamination has been found and request an inspection;

(3) segregate the entire lot or load containing oil-contaminated seafood product from uncontaminated seafood product; and

(4) clean contaminated equipment, using only chemicals described in 18 AAC 34.065.

(f) A processor at a processing facility in which oil contamination is found may not use the contaminated equipment or work clothes until the department or its designated agent inspects the contaminated equipment and work clothes and finds that cleanup of the contaminated equipment and work clothes is adequate.

(g) In addition to keeping a copy of the records required in 18 AAC 34.620(e) , the processor shall keep the following records for each delivery of seafood products:

(1) the name of the fishing vessel, tender vessel, or buying station; and

(2) any action taken by the processing facility if oil-contaminated seafood product is found.

(h) Records required in (g) of this section are confidential to the same extent as confidentiality is provided by 18 AAC 34.620(h) for a record required by 18 AAC 34.620(e) .

(i) A processor at a processing facility that takes in sea water shall

(1) before, during, and after taking in sea water, inspect the water, adjacent beaches, and equipment for signs of oil contamination; and

(2) immediately notify the department if oil-contaminated sea water is taken in, and request an inspection before resuming processing.

(j) A person shall notify the department before a shipment of whole, round fish or live seafood product caught in an area the department has found to be threatened by an oil spill is transported for processing at a facility located in an area not affected by the oil spill. The person shall contact the department in the most expedient manner possible with the following information:

(1) the anticipated transport date;

(2) the method of transportation, including tender name, shipping van company and van number, or airplane company;

(3) the name and location of the facility to which the seafood products will be transported; and

(4) the anticipated date and time of arrival at the facility.

History: Eff. 12/18/97, Register 144; readopt 12/2/99, Register 152

Authority: AS 17.20.005

Editor's note: Effective 12/2/99, Register 152, the Department of Environmental Conservation readopted 18 AAC 34.625, without change, to affirm the validity of that section following statutory amendments made in ch. 72, SLA 1998. Chapter 72, SLA 1998 relocated department authority to adopt regulations in 18 AAC 34 from AS 03.05 to AS 17.20.

The Alaska Administrative Code was automatically converted to HTML from a plain text format. Every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, but neither Touch N' Go Systems nor the Law Offices of James B. Gottstein can be held responsible for any possible errors. This version of the Alaska Administrative Code is current through June, 2006.

If it is critical that the precise terms of the Alaska Administrative Code be known, it is recommended that more formal sources be consulted. Recent editions of the Alaska Administrative Journal may be obtained from the Alaska Lieutenant Governor's Office on the world wide web. If any errors are found, please e-mail Touch N' Go systems at E-mail. We hope you find this information useful. Copyright 2006. Touch N' Go Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.