§ 69-7-601. Short title
This article shall be known as the “Mississippi Catfish Marketing Law of 1975.”
§ 69-7-602. Legislative findings
The Legislature finds that aquaculture sales and consumption have increased worldwide and that the use of antibiotics or chemicals not approved for use in food-producing animals in the United States is permitted in aquaculture in other countries and that consumers of aquaculture in Mississippi should be provided clear information as to where the aquaculture product […]
§ 69-7-603. Administration
This article shall be administered by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce.
§ 69-7-605. Definitions
For purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed herein unless the context otherwise requires: “Capable of use as human food” means and shall apply to any catfish or part or product thereof unless it is denatured or otherwise identified as required by regulations prescribed by the commissioner to deter its […]
§ 69-7-607. Labeling of catfish and fish products; notice of country of origin; method of notification; record-keeping audit trail; commissioner authorized to inspect businesses for compliance; exceptions
Notice of country of origin. General requirements: 1. In case of “Farm-raised Catfish or Farm-raised Fish,” it is hatched, raised, harvested and processed in the United States; 2. In case of “River or Lake Catfish or River or Lake Fish,” it is: a. Harvested in waters of the United States, a territory of the United […]
§ 69-7-608. Misrepresentation in use of term “catfish”; regulation and inspection of retail and food service establishments; notice of violation; penalties
The term “catfish” shall not be used as a common name or used to advertise, distribute or label any fish or fish product except for those species within the definition of catfish in Section 69-7-605. It is unlawful to use the term “catfish” in the advertising, distributing, labeling or selling of any of those species […]
§ 69-7-609. Information as to origin of catfish products
All distributors, processors or wholesalers of catfish products, distributing or selling catfish products, shall provide information to each person, firm or corporation to whom they distribute or sell catfish products for resale as to the labeling information required in subsection (1) of Section 69-7-607.
§ 69-7-610. Identification by distributors, processors and wholesalers of catfish types upon request of commissioner; public disclosure of purchasers of catfish from distributors, processors and wholesalers
All distributors, processors or wholesalers of catfish or other fish products, distributing or selling catfish or other fish products, shall provide information to the commissioner or his representative, upon request, and to each retailer to which such distributor, processor or wholesaler distributes or sells catfish or other fish products as to whether such product is […]
§ 69-7-611. Promulgation of rules and regulations
The commissioner is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations such as may be necessary for the efficient enforcement of this article. Before the issuance, amendment, or repeal of any rule or regulation authorized by this article, the commissioner shall publish the proposed regulation, amendment, or notice to repeal an existing regulation in a manner […]
§ 69-7-612. Commissioner authorized to enter premises to take samples for testing to determine compliance
The commissioner shall have authority to enter the premises of any wholesaler, distributor or retailer to pull samples of catfish and other similar fish for laboratory testing to test for species identification and/or any other testing as may be necessary to determine compliance with this article.
§ 69-7-613. Penalties; injunctive relief
Any person who violates any provision of this article for which no other penalty is provided by this article shall upon conviction be subject to a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). The commissioner may apply for and the court may grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating […]
§ 69-7-615. Cooperation
The commissioner may cooperate with and enter into agreements with governmental agencies of this state, agencies of the federal government, and private associations in order to carry out the purpose and provisions of this article.
§ 69-7-616. Administrative proceedings; sanctions; appeals; danger to public health
When a complaint is made against a person for violation of any of the provisions of this article, or any of the rules or regulations promulgated hereunder, the Director of the Regulatory Division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, or his designee, shall act as reviewing officer. The complaint shall be filed with […]
§ 69-7-617. Information concerning production and sales of catfish products
The commissioner shall publish at least biannually, in such form as he may deem proper, information concerning the sale of catfish products, together with such data on their production and use as he may consider advisable provided that the information concerning production and sales of catfish products shall not disclose the operation of any person.