Shellfish farmers have welcomed China's recent lifting of a five-month-old ban of live shellfish from the US West Coast, since this decision could favour trade and the creation of job opportunities.
This ban had been imposed on imports of live seafood including clams, oysters, mussels and scallops from Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington State after identifying high levels of inorganic arsenic in a shipment of giant geoduck clams from Washington's Puget Sound and paralytic shellfish poisoning in a separate batch of geoducks from Alaska, ChinaDaily reported.
"Today's news that China has lifted its ban on shellfish exports from the US West Coast is most welcome. Our shellfish industries employ thousands of Washingtonians and contribute more than USD 270 million to the state's economy, in addition to providing delicious seafood to domestic and international consumers," highlighted Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
And he added: "I appreciate the hard work of the State Departments of Health and Natural Resources, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Foreign Agricultural Service and US Trade Representative, for all they've done to respond to this case and for effectively communicating to our international trading partners that our seafood is safe and healthy for their consumers. I also want to thank the staff in my D.C. office for working diligently on bringing resolution to this issue."
Delegates from the NOAA travelled to China a couple of months ago to discuss lifting the ban, a visit that included dialogues highlighting new ways to monitor for environmental toxicity issues.
According to a Washington State congressional representative, China's decision to lift the ban will boost the seafood industry in the Pacific Northwest, since China is a key export market for the region's shellfish and this news means greater economic stability.
Geoducks are highly prized large burrowing clams that can fetch up to USD 50 a pound in Asian markets. But despite the ban, Washington shellfish growers had been shipping their product to Asia, with the two main destinations being Hong Kong and Vietnam.
NOAA officials will work with federal and state food safety and health officials and the shellfish industry to implement the new requirements, which must be done before trade with China can resume.
China still plans to send a team of food safety officials to the US to further discuss the issue and evaluate US monitoring and testing plans.