Michael A. Quilliam¹, Hong-Nong Chou² and Allan Cembella¹

¹NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences, 1411 Oxford St. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3Z1; ²Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, 1 Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Chinese Taipei

Abstract

The volume, diversity and value of seafood trade among APEC member economies and to their export markets outside APEC are impeded by a lack of validated analytical methods that can be employed to test and certify products safe for public consumption with respect to natural toxins. In addition, there is a lack of adequate calibration standards and reference materials to ensure the accuracy of these analytical methods. In 1999, the APEC Red Tide/HAB Project of the Marine Resources Conservation Working Group put forward a proposal to the APEC Trade and Investment Liberalisation and Facilitation (TILF) Special Account. The overall purpose of the proposed project is to facilitate trade of seafood products and to protect public health by:

1. Validating appropriate analytical methods for routine monitoring of seafood for contamination by principal and emerging marine algal toxins;
2. Developing certified calibration standards and certified reference materials for analysis of principal and emerging marine algal toxins;
3. Facilitating the introduction of validated analytical methods, supported by certified standards and reference materials, into seafood product testing and certification agencies of APEC economies, through the dissemination of reports and a workshop in the final year of the project.

The proposal was accepted and a contract was signed in February 2001. The project will continue until December 2003. The approach we have taken is to build on and fast track existing programs underway in expert laboratories in APEC economies that are testing and validating new methods for algal toxin analysis, as well as preparing the necessary analytical standards and certified reference materials. The Institute for Marine Biosciences is the principal contractor and work will be sub-contracted to groups in New Zealand, Australia, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Japan, USA and Canada. Many other laboratories will be invited to participate in assorted inter-laboratory studies.