EN Official Journal of the European Union C 239/9

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2012/C 239/04

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘SALMERINO DEL TRENTINO’

EC No: IT-PGI-0005-0964-17.02.2012

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name:

‘Salmerino del Trentino’

2. Member State or third country:

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product:

Class 1.7. Fresh fish, molluscs, and crustaceans and products derived therefrom

3.2. Description of product to which the name in (1) applies:

The protected geographical indication ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ is assigned to salmonid fish bred in the production area referred to in point 4 and belonging to the Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus L) species. When released for consumption, the char must have the following characteristics: a grey-green or brown colouring with whitish, yellow or rose-coloured speckles dotted on the back and flanks, without any marks, and orange fins with a white front edge and a grey dorsal and tail fin. The condition factor must be within 1,10 for fish weighing up to 400 grams and within 1,20 for fish weighing over 400 grams. The total fat content of the meat must not exceed 6 %. The meat is white or salmon-pink, firm, tender, lean and dry with a mellow taste of fish and a delicate smell perfumed with fresh water with no aftertaste of mud. Any off-flavours in the product must be limited and the geosmin content below 0,9 μg/kg.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):

—

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only):

Feed rations must meet the requirements established by tradition, respecting faithful and consistent usage. For this reason, the fish feed used must not contain GMOs and must have the appropriate certification in line with the rules in force.

In order to enhance the typical quality of the ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ PGI meat, the following raw materials are acceptable:

1. cereals, grain and their products and by-products, including protein concentrates;

2. oilseeds and their products and by-products, including protein concentrates and oils;

3. legume seeds and their products and by-products, including protein concentrates;

4. tuber flour and its products and by-products, including protein concentrates;

5. products and by-products from fish and/or crustaceans, including oils;

6. seaweed meal and its by-products;

7. non-ruminant blood products.

The composition of rations given must satisfy the animals' needs during the various growth phases. All additives for use in animal nutrition defined by the legislation in force are acceptable. The salmon colour of the flesh must be obtained using predominantly the astaxanthin carotenoid pigment and/or naturally derived carotenoids.

3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area:

The growth phases, which include the sac-fry, fingerlings and adult-char stages, and the slaughter process must take place within the area specified in point 4.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

The end product must be sold on polystyrene trays wrapped in film and/or in polystyrene boxes wrapped in film and/or in packets, packaged under vacuum and/or in a modified atmosphere. With regard to product typology, char are sold as a fresh product: whole, gutted, filleted and/or sliced.

Those sold whole and/or gutted must weigh at least 170 g.

Those sold filleted and/or sliced must weigh at least 80 g.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

The expression ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ or the abbreviation ‘PGI’ must appear on every packet/box in distinct, indelible lettering, clearly distinguishable from any other text.

They must be translated into the language of the country where the product is marketed.

It is forbidden to add any description that is not expressly provided for.

Every packet/box must clearly display the following logo on the label or on the packaging. Alternatively, the logo can be printed in greyscale.

The European PGI symbol must also appear on every label and all packaging. The label or an appropriate marking must indicate the number or reference code for the producer and/or batch.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The production area of ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ PGI includes the whole Autonomous Province of Trento and the Bagolino Municipality in the Province of Brescia. This area encompasses the main rivers of Trento, and their tributaries’ side-valleys.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The land was formed by the overlapping of multiple periods of glacial and fluvial erosion. From a morphological point of view, the land is largely mountainous and characterised by valleys, cut somewhat deeply into the geological substrate, which constitute all the catchment areas in the identified geographical area. The climate in the ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ PGI production area is typical of an alpine area, with frequent rainfall, often snow during the winter months and cool temperatures even in the summer. The area has perpetual snow and ice from which all the water used for char production comes.

The chemical composition of Trento spring water in terms of trace elements (magnesium, sodium, potassium) has values below the European average, making the water highly suitable for char development.

The streams which feed the trout-farming plants in Trento are of high biological quality with EBI (Extended Biotic Index) values above eight, corresponding to Class I or Class II.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

The main characteristics of ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ are a very low condition factor, the fat content and the taste of the meat. The ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ PGI meat is firm, tender, lean and dry with a mellow taste of fish and a delicate smell perfumed with fresh water with no aftertaste of mud.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):

The qualities of ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ derive directly from the geomorphological and climatic conditions of the identified geographical area, especially from the water used, which is plentiful thanks to the permanent presence of snow and ice in the area, highly oxygenated, has a good chemical, physical and biological quality and a low average temperature which is generally under 10 °C between November and March.

The cold-water rivers and streams are low in nutrients; this leads to slow growth which, although reducing quantities of production, enhances the quality of the meat by engendering greater density, a better taste and reduced fat content. Moreover, the good-quality water in rivers and streams in Trento impedes the growth of unwanted micro-algae and associated metabolites such as geosmin, which, when taken in through the gills, gives the meat a muddy taste. Thanks to the plentiful supply of water and the sloping terrain, the majority of trout-farming in Trento makes use of the differences in level between one basin and another which allow the water to be naturally re-oxygenated and, therefore, the optimum conditions for the growth and development of the char to be maintained.

These conditions, together with climatic factors, have thus given the char characteristics that differ from those obtained from trout-farming on plains and other neighbouring areas.

The cultivation of ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ is age-old and rooted in a long tradition which has become established over time. The practice of fish farming in basins dates back to the 19th century with the construction of an artificial fish-farming plant in Torbole in 1879 which was intended to spread the practice of fish farming and repopulate public waters with trout sac-fry. The first private fish farms were set up in Predazzo in 1891, in Giustino in 1902 and in Tione in 1926, followed by many more after the Second World War. This tradition was consolidated with the founding, in 1975, of the Associazione dei Troticoltori Trentini (Trento Trout Farmers Association), which had such an important role in relaunching trout-farming in the production area that the ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ name surged into household and commercial parlance, as can be demonstrated by bills, labels and publicity material.

Reference to publication of the specification:

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

The Ministry has launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Salmerino del Trentino’ as a protected geographical indication in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 303 of 30 December 2011.

The full text of the product specification is available on the following website:

http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità e sicurezza’ (in the top right-hand corner of the screen) and then on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all'esame dell'UE’.

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.