Title: Quality control in Cod fishing using a traceability system

The objective of this research project was twofold. Firstly, to examine how various factors in Icelandic cod fishing can influence the quality of the raw material, using traceability systems to link these quality factors with a plausible cause. And secondly, to transfer that knowledge and the techniques used in Iceland to the Brazilian seafood industry. The first part involved collecting data on four separate fishing trips in the autumn of 2007. Thirty randomly selected cods were measured onboard each of these fishing trips and then traced throughout the production chain. Afterwards, the data were analysed using regression analysis to find a functional relationship between various quality factors. The analysis showed, for example, that there is a correlation between the number of parasites (nematodes) in the fillets and location of the fishing ground. It also showed that fishing ground and volume in haul can influence gaping, and that fillet yield differs between fishing grounds. These conclusions could only be drawn because of the ability to trace the fish from catch and all the way through processing. Recommendations drawn from this research to the Brazilian Competent Authority are to revise the country’s fisheries legislation in order to enable the implementation of a traceability system that could be used as a tool to improve the quality of the raw material.