Quality Management Program

The Quality Management Program (QMP) is a regulatory-based system that requires all federally registered fish processing plants in Canada to develop and implement an in-plant quality control program. As set out in the Fish Inspection Regulations, all establishments in Canada that process fish and seafood for export or inter-provincial trade must be registered with the Government of Canada. To become federally registered, a fish processor is legally required to develop a QMP plan of their own, following the "QMP Reference Standard"; submit it to the CFIA for review and acceptance; and apply it to their processing operations. The QMP uses the principles of "HACCP" (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), an internationally recognized system for ensuring safe food production, to provide a high level of assurance that fish and seafood products produced in Canada are safe and wholesome to eat. However, the QMP also deals with non-safety issues, including fish quality and federal regulatory requirements such as labelling.

The QMP was established as a mandatory program in 1992, making it the first mandatory food inspection program in the world based on HACCP principles. Prior to this, fish inspection was conducted as a traditional food inspection program, with federal inspectors inspecting fish plants and testing their products. The QMP was extensively re-engineered between 1996 and 2000, with the active participation of the fish processing industry.

Along with promoting the production of safe and wholesome fish and seafood products and thereby protecting Canadian consumers, the QMP benefits fish processors in a number of ways. These include a streamlined process for the certification of final products for export; the privilege of using the "Canada Inspected" logo on their products; and a minimization of government intrusion and intervention in their day-to-day operations. Also, because it incorporates the application of HACCP principles, the QMP has been effective in maintaining access to international markets, at a time when many countries are introducing HACCP requirements for imported fish and seafood. This is important for Canada's fish processing industry, which is heavily export-oriented: almost 90 per cent of the fish and seafood products produced in Canada are exported to foreign countries.

Information we provide for the food industry includes:

Update on the Quality Management Program

• Industry Notices
• Schedule I and II - Regulatory Verification Process
• Questions and Answers

Establishment Registration

• Application for Registration of Fish Processing Establishments - (PDF version - 50 kb)
• Developing a Quality Management Program Plan: A Fish and Seafood Processor's Step-by-step Guide
• QMP Reference Standard
• Facility Compliance Requirements (Construction and Operation)
  • Decision Tree
• Facility Self Evaluation Report
  • Instructions for completing the Facility Self Inspection Worksheet
• Facilities Inspection Manual

Maintaining Compliance

• Fish Inspection Program Compliance Management Process
• Corrective Action Plan Standard
• Deficiency definitions
• Written Corrective Action Plan Template
• Written Corrective Action Plan - Evaluation Checklist
• Corrective Action Plan Implementation - Evaluation Checklist
• Process for the regulation of fishing vessels and landing sites used to unload, handle, hold or transport fish

List of Registered Establishments

• Canadian fish processors that are in compliance with QMP requirements

Canneries

• Thermal Process Control Worksheet for Canned Fish and Fish Products
• Thermal Process Control Worksheet for Canned Fish and Fish Products - Plant Info

Foods Containing Meat and Fish Ingredients

• Classification of Products containing Meat and Fish

Additional government and industry information can be found at:

• Generic seafood HACCP plans at the Seafood Network Information Center
• HACCP information at CFSAN
• Seafood HACCP at the Seafood Network Information Center