About IAFI
Vision
Fish, seafood and associated products that are safe, of acceptable quality and readily available for sale in the world's marketplaces.
Background
The International Association of Fish Inspectors (IAFI) is a new and growing organization serving the world fish inspection community. As stated in our Charter, IAFI exists to promote the exchange of ideas and information, foster interaction, understanding and professional collaboration among individuals, organizations, and governments, disseminate knowledge about fish, seafood, and associated products inspection, and promote advancement of the state-of-the-art in fish inspection research and education.
History
In September 1997, a meeting was held in Toronto, Canada to discuss the merits of establishing an International Association of Fish Inspectors (IAFI). The formation of an IAFI was well received by the 42 participants, who represented various facets of fish inspection from around the world. An interim Steering Committee was established at that time to continue the development process.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) offered to assume the coordinating role in the formation of this association. The CFIA is the government body responsible for federal food inspection in Canada.
CFIA began the process of incorporation of the IAFI, and at the end of February, 1999, the IAFI was incorporated. A web site was developed and launched to provide members with information, particularly in reference to the Inaugural Meeting.
Recently
IAFI's Inaugural meeting was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on October 4 and 5, 1999 in conjunction with the 3rd International Conference on Fish Inspection and Quality Control. The meeting was well attended by half the membership.
An Executive Committee and a Steering Committee, representing seven zones across the world was elected by membership. The meeting also provided members with an opportunity to review, amend and adopt the By-laws of the IAFI, as well as to provide some strategic direction on how the association should be organized and further developed.
Since that inaugural meeting, IAFI has continued to operate and has organized 3 more Congresses in Vancouver, The Hague and Sydney. In September 2007 the World Seafood Congress will take place in Dublin, Ireland.
Charter and Mission
The International Association of Fish Inspectors brings together Fish Inspectors and those that have an interest in this fascinating field from different countries and backgrounds - government, the fish and seafood harvesting, processing and marketing industries, academia, public and private organizations and other diverse disciplines to provide them opportunities to:
- exchange information, ideas and methodologies for fish, seafood and associated products inspection, quality management and fish/seafood processing technology;
- foster interaction, understanding and professional collaboration among individuals, organizations and governments for the purpose of facilitating the global export and import of fish, seafood and associated products and their consumption;
- contribute to discussions and analysis of current fish/seafood inspection and control systems, regulatory regimes and fish/seafood processing infrastructure and suggest ways and means to improve fish, seafood and associated product quality and safety inspection and mitigate risk of fish/seafood origin consumer illness;
- disseminate knowledge about fish, seafood and associated products inspection and methodologies employed;
encourage development of global fish, seafood and associated products products standards and new fish/seafood inspection systems, methodologies and technologies;
- promote advancement of the state-of-the-art in research and education on fish/seafood inspection and control systems and risk analysis and their integration into everyday application;
- provide services to its members to assist them in developing their careers as fish/seafood inspectors; and
- provide fish, seafood and associated product inspection, quality management and fish/seafood processing technology consultative, inspection and audit services to individuals and organizations.
