Fourteen employees from nine seafood wholesalers attended a seafood Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) course sponsored by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. HACCP is a preventive system of controlling food safety hazards, which is mandated for seafood processors. According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Georgia regulations, seafood dealers must have one or more employees who are trained in seafood HACCP or have equivalent experience.
Currently, 235 Georgia companies must comply with this requirement in order to maintain a wholesale fish dealer license which allows them to operate. In addition, HACCP training is a pre-requisite for new, start-up seafood wholesalers or companies who want to expand their business to include seafood.
Georgia’s seafood industry generated $1.9 billion in sales impacts during 2014 (the most recent year for which statistics are available from the U.S. Department of Commerce). Attendees receive a certificate of training, issued by the National Seafood HACCP Alliance and the Association of Food and Drug Officials, which advances their job skills and enhances their employability.