Interstate Seafood Seminar Annual Meeting 2015

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Project Summary/Abstract An important aspect to this annual meeting is the planning committee comprised of representatives from the regulatory community and academic partners. The planning meeting is typically held in January. At the planning stage, topics are discussed and chosen based on relevance to seafood safety, water quality, seafood HACCP, etc. Lately the important issue of reducing the risk of Vibrio in oysters, a naturally occurring pathogen, has been one of the most common concerns. Topics for this issue are clinical, environmental, and at times very technical. Laboratory methods are also an import topic of concern. Input is gathered from all representatives and FDA's participation plays an important role in the planning stages. The host state is responsible selecting a meeting site, announcing dates and location, registration, any agreements with the hotel for meeting spaces, and for finalizing the agenda topics and securing the speakers for the meeting. This responsibility rotates between the participating states (Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware). The Interstate Seafood Seminar brings together regulators, public health professionals, researchers and industry in an informal setting. Seafood safety such as using best management practices and Seafood HACCP is everyone's responsibility. Seafood safety is very important in preventing food borne illnesses and providing cost savings to consumers. This annual meeting provides an unprecedented opportunity for participants to network with other regulators, both federal and state, in a cooperative and informative setting. The opportunity for researchers to present and discuss their latest findings with regulators lays the framework to assess needs and how the research can be utilized in a regulatory or industrial setting while serving to improve seafood safety. This venue promotes informal discussion and since it is regional in nature provides an opportunity for many participants that may not get an opportunity to participate in larger, formal national meetings. Attendees include regional State and local regulators, federal partners (FDA, EPA, NOAA), industry, and academics. The purpose of this application is to facilitate participation from State partners whose attendance might otherwise be denied due to budget constraints.