Pillar · HACCP
HACCP for Aquaculture & Seafood
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is the global food-safety baseline for seafood processing. It is legally mandatory for export to the US (21 CFR 123) and the EU (852/2004 and 853/2004), and functionally mandatory everywhere else.
FishMatch Group is supplier-neutral. This page is educational content for aquaculture buyers — not legal, tax or investment advice. Always verify current regulations with local authorities and licensed advisors before committing capital.
- • Codex Alimentarius CAC/RCP 1-1969 (HACCP)
- • US FDA 21 CFR 123 (Seafood HACCP)
- • EU Regulation 852/2004 & 853/2004
- • ISO 22000 (management-system)
- • Every seafood processor
- • Every aquaculture operation with export ambition
- • Cold-storage operators
- • Retail-facing distributors
HACCP is the global baseline for seafood safety and the mandatory framework for US and EU export. Without a working HACCP plan, no export shipment moves.
The seven HACCP principles
1) Hazard analysis. 2) Identify critical control points. 3) Establish critical limits. 4) Monitor CCPs. 5) Establish corrective actions. 6) Verification. 7) Record-keeping. Every commercial seafood operation must implement all seven — no shortcuts.
US FDA Seafood HACCP (21 CFR 123)
Mandatory for every fish and fishery product processed for US commerce. Requires a written HACCP plan, monitoring records, corrective action records, verification and sanitation control records.
EU hygiene framework
EU 852/2004 (general hygiene) and 853/2004 (products of animal origin) require HACCP-based procedures, establishment approval and continuous compliance. Third-country producers must be listed on the EU establishment list to export.
ISO 22000 as the management-system wrapper
ISO 22000 wraps HACCP inside a full food-safety management system — recommended for large producers, retail-facing operations and export-heavy businesses.
Common mistakes
- Copying a template HACCP without hazard analysis for your specific process.
- Missing verification records — the plan exists but nobody signs off.
- Under-training operators on critical control points.
- Treating HACCP as a document rather than a live management system.
Buyer compliance checklist
- Hazard analysis specific to your species, process and destination market.
- Critical control points identified with measurable critical limits.
- Monitoring procedures with recording responsibility assigned.
- Corrective actions documented for every CCP deviation scenario.
- Verification and validation activities scheduled.
- Record-keeping structure that survives inspection.
- Staff training records maintained for every operator at a CCP.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
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