Day 101 - 10 Mar 95 - Page 26
1
2 Q. No. It is tab 2 and it is the appendix 2 which is the
3 cod ---
4 A. Yes, I have that.
5
6 Q. -- matter. If you look under "Worms and other parasites"
7 on the left-hand side: "The maximum tolerance for nematode
8 worms is three worms per 3.2 kilograms seven pounds unit of
9 fish flesh" ---
10 A. Yes.
11
12 Q. -- "after the batter and crumb has been removed"?
13 A. Yes.
14
15 Q. "No other parasites are permitted". Why have they got a
16 limit of three worms per seven pounds?
17 A. Well, this is a model purchase specification. It is a
18 MAFF document or it is from the Torry Research Station
19 which is a MAFF, an arm of MAFF, and what they are doing
20 basically is laying down standards for the industry. They
21 are saying that under normal conditions that is the level
22 of nematode worms in the fish flesh that you could
23 naturally expect to find.
24
25 If you found higher levels then, you know, there was
26 probably something wrong with that particular fish. You
27 know, it was perhaps infested with it or there has been a
28 problem with it. So, under normal circumstances, that is
29 what they are saying you could expect to find.
30
31 Q. So more than three worms per seven pounds would be
32 undesirable and, in fact, illegal?
33 A. It would not be illegal. This is not legislation.
34
35 Q. It would be unreliable?
36 A. It would suggest that you are not purchasing the best
37 quality product that you could.
38
39 Q. So nematode worms are basically undesirable things to have
40 in fish?
41 A. I would say so, yes -- but unavoidable.
42
43 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, I should say one other thing, if I may,
44 while I think of it while Mr. Riley is copying that
45 document before we move on to animals: Though it may be
46 that it got buried and forgotten about in some pile, I am
47 somewhat concerned that I was not given a copy first thing
48 this morning, it having been discovered, presumably,
49 overnight.
50
51 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I have made the point which you understand
52 that it goes back better than that. There are even some
53 lawyers who do not understand that the moment they get a
54 document which is relevant to proceedings. Whether they
55 think may use it or not, especially whether they like it or
56 not, the other side has to be informed. I have said that.
57 You have taken it on board and there we are. Are we going
58 on to animal welfare now?
59
60 MS. STEEL: Yes. You said you have been to slaughterhouses that
