INFORMATION BULLETIN
Herring Buyer Responsibilities under the Weights and Measures Act
The following information is to assist fish-buying license holders in meeting their legal responsibilities with respect to the sale of herring based on weight, as per the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations.
Compliance with the Act and Regulations is a requirement of the fish buyer’s license.
When buying herring, remember:
• Use legal units of measurement (i.e., pounds, kilograms, and tonnes). The “tub” is not a legal unit of measurement according to the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations.
• Scales must be approved and inspected by Measurement Canada or Measurement Canada
authorized service providers.
• The weight must not include water or ice and must be accurate within the tolerances required by the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations. For example, the tolerance on 500 kg or more is 0.15%. It would be an offence for a buyer to declare that they received 10,000 kg of herring, when in fact they received any amount in excess of 10,015 kg.
Currently, three weighing methods are used to sell herring:
• By the standard size tubs (or barrels in some cases)
• The dipping method (where holds are calibrated to determine a volume of herring, which is then converted to a weight value)
• Weighing herring on scales
The “tub” and “dipping” methods of weighing herring are not accurate enough to meet the requirements of the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations. In light of the above, it is recommended that buyers establish unloading and handling systems so that all herring catches can be weighed and recorded accurately. This will meet the buyers’ legal responsibility to provide an accurate net weight declaration.
Measurement Canada inspectors have the authority to enter any fish-selling premises to conduct measurement inspections or other activities to determine whether transactions are being performed in compliance with the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations. Significant non-compliance can result in the seizure of product or equipment until such time as corrective action is implemented.
Measurement Canada is the federal agency responsible for ensuring Canadians receive fair and accurate measure when making financial transactions based on measurement. For more information, please visit
our website at www.mc.ic.gc.ca or contact your local Measurement Canada office at 902-426-3831.
