Background of the Fisheries Commodity Standards System and Traceability Division (FCSTD) 

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Background of the Fisheries Commodity Standards System and Traceability Division (FCSTD)

       The Department of Fisheries is committed to promote high quality processes in aquaculture production. The department encourages the establishment of Aquaculture Development and Certification Centre (ADCC) in accordance to the policies of Department of Fisheries. The Aquaculture Development and Certification Centre is also known as ‘Fisheries Commodity Standards System and Traceability Division’.

 

         Under the royal decree of official organization system restructuring issued in 2014, the Department of Fisheries realizes the importance of the development of standard certification system for aquaculture products, has set up the Division of Standard System for Fishery Commodities, or currently called the Fisheries Commodity Standards Certification System and Traceability Development Division (FCSTD), according to the regulations of organization structuring of the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture in 2016.  The Division was established in order to support the standard development and certification of aquaculture products from upstream to downstream, to create the confidence of consumers and buyers that the aquaculture produce and products from Thailand are of good quality, safe traceable, and produced while taking into consideration the socio-economic aspects and environmental integrity.  The formerly Aquaculture Development and Certification Center (ADCC) acted as the Certification Body of FCSTD to carry out the certification process and grant the GAP, CoC and Organic aquaculture standard certification for aquaculture production systems and products for farmers, operators, Organizations of both public and private sectors.  The certification process is implemented with the support of other units within the Department of Fisheries that are involved with the certification.  The objectives of the FCSTD Certification Body are to ensure that the aquaculture process meets the standard requirements and the aquaculture products are safe for consumers.  In addition, the FCSTD Certification Body has an aim to raise the standard and quality of domestic aquaculture products and increase the capacity to compete in the global market.  
In order to ensure the continuity of service and efficient implementation, FCSTD has improved the quality system of the Certification Body so it is complied with the ISO/IEC 17065 and is internationally recognized as the Certification Body for the Gap, CoC and Organic aquaculture standard certification for aquaculture production systems and products.

 

Quality Policy

              “The Certification Body of the Fisheries Commodity Standards Certification System and Traceability Development Division (FCSTD) offers services in the certification of the GAP, CoC and Organic aquaculture standards, for the aquaculture system and products, with transparency and fairness by personnel who possess knowledge, ability and experience. FCSTD has continuously improved the Certification Body to ensure that the aquaculture products are safe for consumers and are recognized at the international level.”

Quality Objectives

            The quality objectives of the Fisheries Commodity Standards Certification System and Traceability Development Division (FCSTD), Department of Fisheries are to ensure that the implementation of the GAP, CoC and Organic Agriculture standards certification for aquaculture production systems and products, will be efficiently carried out. The FCSTD has thus established procedures and related action plans for all FCSTD activities. The FCSTD has also carried out various plans and assessments of its operations in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of its quality policy. To achieve these goals, the FCSTD has specified the quality objectives as follows:

•  Uphold the quality system of the Certification Body in order to maintain the accreditation according to the scope granted by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS).
• Submit accreditation application of Certification for Good Aquaculture practices for hatchery of disease free pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) (TAS 7432-2015) within 2021 fiscal year.
• The number of complaints related to the impartiality, correctness, transparency, and fairness from the certification applicants and certified applicants that have been verified as valid and have sufficient evidence, shall not exceed 2% of the total number of applicants and certified applicants from each year.
• All personnel in the Certification Body shall receive additional training for competency development at least once a year.  In the case where there is a competency assessment, personnel shall pass the assessment.
• Examine the modification of organizational structure needed for the aquaculture standard certification process and/or improvement of the certification process in order to be in compliance with international standards.
• Improve information systems in order to increase efficiency and usability. 

              To achieve these established goals, the FCSTD thus announces these quality objectives to all personnel involved so they can clearly understand and can use these quality objectives as guidelines in their operation planning in order to improve efficiency.  Follow-up processes to compare the results of implementation with the established objectives, and the corrective actions to correct any deficiencies, will be carried out.  In addition, a summary of the effectiveness of the implementation will be assessed against the established objectives, and will be reported to the management of the FCSTD and the Department of Fisheries for further evaluation.

 

Objective

               To raise the standard of domestic aquaculture products and enhance the ability to compete in international market. This is to achieve the prior mentioned policies regarding quality. Hence, the objectives of the certification body are specified as follows.

• Carry out the administration and implementation that are in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17065 and continuously improve the operation. Maintain the accredited status according to the Accreditation Body’s requirements in order that the FCSTD Certification Body will be recognized for its capability.
• Carry out the audit and certification process for the clients with correctness, impartiality, transparency and fairness.
• Regularly conduct a surveillance audit for the certified clients.
• Strictly safeguard the confidentiality of each client’s documents and information.
• Apply the information technology to support the activities of the personnel.
• Provide training and development for personnel so their capability will be continuously improved and accepted at the international level.

 

FCSTD Certification Body Missions

• Verify applicant information and check of all requires attached documents.
•  Auditors plan to visit farm for audit and inform audit schedule.
•  Auditors visit farm and conduct farm audit and sampling aquatic animal, water, input and waste water for testing-as standard requirement.
•  Present a preliminary result of farm audit assessment and a non-conformity issue (if any).
•  Auditors submits audit report included the not caution of a non-conformity issue improvement measure (if any) to audit section.
•  Audit section check and review farm audit report and all related documents.
•  Certification Committee (CC meeting) review audit report and consider for granting certificate.
•  Certificate section approves and prints the certificates- Certification period is 3 years and publish list of certified farms.
•  Establish surveillance assessment.
•  Certificate section review and update certified farms list and certification status including termination, suspension or withdrawal of certification.
•  Safeguarding impartiality of its certification body and reviewing the effectiveness of preventive actions.
•  To appoint expert and internal auditor.
•  Plan internal audit program.
•  Receive and perform the Complaints and appeals.
•  To Control Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Declaration.
•  To make certification data bases.
•  To train farmers/producers about Aquaculture Certification Process.
•  To train the personnel who involve with certification.
•  Develop Certification system.
•  Join and set the Thai agricultural standards.
•  Follow and promote aquaculture standard and Aquaculture Certification progress.
   

Certificate issued by FCSTD

                  The certificate issued by FCSTD is an aquaculture standard certificate which is proved that the farm process is met the international standards ISO/IEC 17065. The certificate will be valid for 3 years from the date of issue. The certificate details include the certificate number, the scope of practice/product species, the certification standards, the initial certification date, the expiration date of the certificate, and the first Initial certification date. In the case that the farmers apply for renewal and receive continuous certification, the first date of issuing certificate will be following the first issued date of the previous certificate, which allow the farmers to demonstrate the experiences and the development of standardized farm production process.