Animal material depots storing fish and seafood
Find out the requirements that animal material depots must meet to hold seafood before it's transferred to a processor or fish retailer.
What animal material depots do
Fish animal material depots temporarily hold fish material (other than BMS) before it is transferred to a processor or fish retailer, who will process it for human consumption.
An animal material depot holding fish may carry out the following activities:
- hold
- chill
- refrigerate
- sedate (using a registered veterinary medicine)
- apply protective coverings.
However, animal material depots can't process any fish.
Meeting requirements for animal material depots
If you operate a fish animal material depot, you need to meet requirements including:
- describing how you manage the risks of contamination
- showing that you operate within your capability and capacity
- ensuring your premises are suitably constructed.
You can find all requirements for animal material depots in the Animal Products Notice: Specifications for Products Intended for Human Consumption. Specific requirements for depots that hold fish material are in part 12.
Animal Products Notice: Specifications for products intended for human consumption [PDF, 1.3 MB]
You are not required to have a risk management programme (RMP).
Bivalve molluscan shellfish animal depots have different requirements
You need to meet requirements under the BMS regulated control scheme (RCS). Refer to part 11 of the Notice:
Animal Products (Specifications for Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish) Notice [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Learn about BMS sorting sheds and depot requirements:
Listing as an animal material depot
Before you start operating as an animal material depot, you must:
- undergo an initial verification by a recognised verifier
- apply to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for listing.
Your initial verification report must be completed by an agency recognised by MPI to carry out verification. The agency is usually MPI Verification Services. A recognised verifier from the agency checks that your depot meets the relevant requirements.
Find a recognised verification agency
Apply to be listed
Use form AP19 to apply for listing. You must send your initial verification report with your completed application. Fees for listing are on the form.
AP19 – Application for animal material depot listing [PDF, 919 KB]
List of animal material depots
MPI keeps a list of all animal material depots.
Getting verified
Once your animal material depot is listed with MPI, you must have regular verifications by a recognised agency. You can find details of how often you will be verified in the Operational Code: Verification. Schedules 1 and 2 include information on how often animal material depots need to be verified.
Operational Code: Verification [PDF, 508 KB]
Export requirements for animal material depots
If your depot holds fish for human consumption that will be exported after processing, there are additional requirements you need to meet.