#fishfarm – Residues levels in farmed finfish as monitored by the Marine Institute in accordance with the National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) showed no non-compliant results in 2012 for the seventh year running according to a Marine Institute statement.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have now released the results of testing of food of animal origin carried out under the National Residue Control Plan for 2012.

The NCRP, which was approved by the European Commission, is an important component of the Department's food safety controls and is implemented under a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

Since 1999 The Marine Institute has implemented the National Residues Monitoring Programme for aquaculture. This is carried out on behalf of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), which is the responsible organisation for residue controls on farmed finfish.

In 2012, in excess of 759 tests for 1,596 substance determinations were carried out on 169 samples of farmed finfish for a range of residues, including banned and unauthorised substances, various authorised veterinary treatments, and environmental contaminants. No non-compliant results were reported from the national monitoring programme for farmed finfish in 2012, continuing the welcome trend demonstrating an absence of residues over the last seven years.

More information on the residues programme can be found on the Marine Institute website and in the residues monitoring programme report Chemical Residue in Irish Farmed Finfish.