EN Official Journal of the European Union C 225/6

Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2016/C 225/07)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘KARP ZATORSKI’

EU No: PL-PDO-0105-01357 — 30.7.2015

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Lokalna Grupa Producencka Karpia Zatorskiego Plac Kościuszki 5 32-640 Zator POLSKA/POLAND Tel. +48 338412128, +48 602464243 Fax +48 338410585 Email: fishrzd@man.pl

The applicant group has a legitimate interest in applying for approval of an amendment to this specification in its capacity as the lead group in relation to this product; it was the applicant for the application to register the name ‘karp zatorski’ as a PDO.

2. Member State or Third Country

Poland

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☐ Product name — ☒ Product description — ☐ Geographical area — ☐ Proof of origin — ☐ Method of production — ☐ Link — ☐ Labelling — ☐ Other [to be specified]

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☒ Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. — ☐ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5. Amendments

The amendment consists in redrafting the information on the chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh provided in point 3.2 of the single document. It involves deleting the information on the dry mass and crude ash content and indicating the total protein and crude fat content of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh in the form of value ranges:

— total protein — 17,0-19,3 %,

— crude fat — 3,2-5,9 %.

The information on the dry mass and crude ash content is merely of an incidental nature and has no bearing on the specific properties of ‘karp zatorski’. The specific properties of ‘karp zatorski’ are reflected in particular in its total protein and crude fat content. The chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ is determined by compliance with specific requirements at various stages in its production, including feeding with natural cereal feeds. The chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ is also determined by the specific features of the geographical area in which it is produced, notably: the dense network of surface waters, good ground water quality, temperate climate and differentiated soil cover. This area's unique qualities are evidenced by the fact that it has been included in the Natura 2000 nature conservation programme. In the original text of the document, values were indicated for the chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh that were based on tests conducted during a specific stage of the production cycle. Those values are not reproducible with two-decimal-place accuracy. It is therefore proposed to introduce value ranges for total protein and crude fat to define the chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh. The proposed amendment is also necessary because of fluctuations in the chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh that reflect the intensity of feeding, the type of cereal feed (proportions of wheat, barley, triticale and maize), having regard to the relevant requirements set out in the specification, and also the amounts of natural food consumed by the fish, which depend on the natural conditions prevailing in the year in question.

The deletion, in relation to the chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh, of the dry mass and crude ash content and the introduction of value ranges for total protein and crude fat will not affect the specific features of ‘karp zatorski’ or its taste.

Moreover, the information on the specific features of ‘karp zatorski’ has been moved to point 3.2 from point 5.2 without any changes in parametric values.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘KARP ZATORSKI’

EU No: PL-PDO-0105-01357 — 30.7.2015

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Karp zatorski’

2. Member State or Third Country

Poland

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Product type

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

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

‘Karp zatorski’ (Cyprinus carpio) is a hybrid obtained from cross-breeding the pure karp zatorski line with the following pure lines: Hungarian, Yugoslav, Gołysz and Israeli (Dor-70). ‘Karp zatorski’ is a live fish sold fresh and unprocessed. ‘Karp zatorski’ is raised exclusively in earthen carp ponds, in accordance with the Zator rearing method, which is based on a two-year rearing cycle.

Appearance:

— bodyweight of marketable fish: 1 100-1 800 g,

— colour: olive or olivey blue,

— scalation: mirror scales arranged in a dart, stripe or saddle pattern,

— compact shape,

— body depth factor: 2,2-2,4,

— rapid growth,

— flesh yield: 61-64 %,

— condition factor (Fulton's factor): 3,9-5,0,

— flesh that does not smell of mud, having a fresh fish smell and a delicate taste,

— feed conversion ratio for cereals: 5,

— survival rate: 86 %,

— higher-than-average resistance to diseases.

Chemical composition of ‘karp zatorski’ flesh:

— total protein: 17,0-19,3 %,

— crude fat: 3,2-5,9 %.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The fish feed predominantly on food naturally available in ponds. Owing to the high productivity of the carp ponds in the area in question, the fish have a diet based on food naturally available in the ponds. At all stages of production, this is supplemented only by natural cereal feeds (wheat, barley, triticale, maize), at least 70 % of which come from the area defined in (4) and which, owing to the specific soil and climatic characteristics, are of high quality and meet high sanitary standards. When purchasing cereals, account is taken of their quality and of their moisture content, which must not exceed 11 %. Feed purchased outside the ‘karp zatorski’ production area is used only if the supply of feed in the area defined in (4) is insufficient. No food of artificial origin or feed supplements are used in the production of ‘karp zatorski’.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The entire ‘karp zatorski’ production cycle must take place in the geographical area defined in point 4. The ‘karp zatorski’ production cycle comprises the following five stages:

1. Spawning

2. Rearing of fry

3. Rearing and overwintering of autumn fry

4. Stocking of commercial ponds

5. Removal of the carp from fish storage facilities

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

—

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The name ‘karp zatorski’ is used for the purposes of marketing live fish; therefore, in the case of wholesale deliveries of the fish in transport tanks using motor vehicles, this name appears on the invoices, delivery receipts and transport documents, and may also appear on the tank or motor vehicle. At retail outlets, the fish are placed in special oxygenated tanks. The tanks bear clearly visible inscriptions that read ‘karp zatorski’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Karp zatorski’ is produced in three municipalities situated in the western part of Małopolskie Province. These are: Zator and Przeciszów, in Oświęcimski district, and Spytkowice, in Wadowicki district. The area covers 134 km2, but production is concentrated mainly in Zator municipality.

5. Link with the geographical area

Fishing and carp-farming in Zator date back to the late 11th and early 12th centuries, and fisheries and – later – fish-farming have continued to evolve here since that time. It is the oldest centre of its kind in the region. The development of fish-farming was favoured by the dense network of waterways (the rivers Soła and Skawa and the upper Vistula), the right soil conditions for growing the four main types of cereals used to feed the carp, a temperate climate and the possibility of transporting fish by river to Kraków and surrounding areas. Ponds were constructed like strings of beads alongside the rivers. This facilitated the gravitational inflow and outflow of water, including the drying-out of pond beds. Fish-farming developed considerably after the end of World War I. A start was made on rebuilding ponds destroyed during the war, new technologies were introduced, and the trade in fish by small traders was regulated, with the first fishmonger's shop opening in Kraków. In 1946, the State Estate at Zator was taken over by the Jagiellonian University and the Zootechnical Institute was set up, where work was carried out to improve the performance of the carp.

The indigenous line of carp, maintained as an inbred line since 1955 and never commercialised, was bred in the geographical area described in (4). Based on their observations, research and experience, local fish-farmers and scientists bred a cross between the pure ‘karp zatorski’ line and other lines of carp that was best adapted to the conditions prevailing in the area. From 1946, the Zator rearing method was gradually introduced, based on a two-year system, resulting in an increase in the bodyweight of the fish from 60 to 150 g in the first year and a survival rate of up to 86 %. Combined with the rich natural food supply from the region's waters, this method has made it possible to shorten the carp-farming cycle to two years. It yields carp weighing 1 100-1 800 g, exploiting the great potential for fish growth in the second year of the production cycle. The majority of the work connected with the production of ‘karp zatorski’ is carried out manually, with human knowledge and experience playing an important part. On the basis of many years of experience, farmers have developed the ability to carry out the various activities that make up the production process, such as selecting the initial fish-stocking density of 200 000 hatchlings per hectare in ponds, thus reducing the risk of the spread of disease, limiting losses and making the most effective use of natural food sources. The ability to adapt the coarseness and dosage of the cereal feed depending on the weight of the fish is also very important.

The characteristics of the geographical area defined in (4), which are described below, play a significant role in creating favourable conditions for fish farming and in determining the specific features of ‘karp zatorski’.

A characteristic feature of the ‘karp zatorski’ production area is the dense network of waterways: a river network supplemented by a dense network of drainage ditches and channels supplying water to individual ponds. Fish ponds occupy approximately 22 % of the area of Zator municipality. They have a high natural productivity, i.e. rapid biomass growth. The carp ponds in this area provide an abundant supply of natural food for the fish: zooplankton, phytoplankton and benthos. Owing to the numerous systems of lakes, ponds and pools in the geographical area defined in (4), this area is commonly known as ‘Dolina Karpia’ (Carp Valley).

The ‘karp zatorski’ production area is located in the Pre-Carpathian hydrogeological region. The water table is 5-10 m below the surface. The average thickness of the aquifer is estimated to be 4,8 m, with an infiltration coefficient of 244/24 h. The waters are of good quality (Class Ib).

The ‘karp zatorski’ production area is located within the Central European climatic zone, in the Carpathian climatic region, in the lower part of the moderately warm climatic level. The area's climate is subject to both continental and maritime influences. The climate is also influenced by the proximity of mountainous areas. The vegetation period (average daily temperature over 5 °C) is 224 days, and the period of intense vegetation (average daily temperature over 10 °C) lasts from the end of April until mid-October, and the frost-free period is 172 days.

The ‘karp zatorski’ production area is characterised by a highly differentiated soil cover: brown earths and pseudo-podsols, fluvial muds, gley soils, black earths and peaty and marshy soils.

The area in which ‘karp zatorski’ is farmed is distinguished in particular by its clean air and an abundance of rich and rare fauna and flora. Owing to this great abundance of wildlife, these areas have been selected by the Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (OTOP), on the basis of Birdlife International criteria, to be part of the Natura 2000 network — the Lower Skawa River Valley (PL 125) — as a special protection area. This network plays a key role in safeguarding the natural resources of the European Union.

The exceptional quality of ‘karp zatorski’ is inextricably linked with the natural environment of the geographical area in which it is produced. The quality of ‘karp zatorski’ results not only from the unique properties of the natural environment but also from local fish-farming traditions and techniques. Only the combination of the above-mentioned factors makes it possible to obtain carp with specific features. Natural factors mean that fish ponds produce sufficient quantities of high-quality natural food. The ‘karp zatorski’ production area also has favourable soil and climatic conditions for growing four major cereals. Owing, in particular, to the highly productive nature of the ponds, the fish have a diet that is based on natural food, without the use of artificial feeds and feed supplements. The presence of disease-causing pathogens has been limited owing to the ponds' high productivity and the non-use of easily fermentable carbohydrate-rich artificial feed. This is reflected in the health of ‘karp zatorski’ and the product's exceptional organoleptic properties. In particular, it results in the fresh fish smell and the delicate taste of the fish. The characteristics of the geographical area described above also mean that fish is obtained that has a good body depth and good flesh development, as borne out by its high condition factor. The production of ‘karp zatorski’ is closely linked to its place of origin, as the proximity of natural watercourses and bodies of water, including rivers and their tributaries, means that the area has an abundance of water, which is essential for fish-farming. The construction of such large and functional pond complexes has been made possible owing to the area's terrain. The soils on which the ponds have been constructed and the climatic conditions (in particular the long vegetation period), as well as the abundance and quality of the natural food supply, have a direct bearing on the high natural productivity of the ponds (i.e. the amount of fish that can be obtained per hectare without feed), which varies from 150 to 300 kg/ha. The unique qualities of ‘karp zatorski’ are also due to the fact that, on the basis of their observations, research and experience, local breeders and scientists selected the carp best adapted to the conditions prevailing in the area. A pure line of ‘karp zatorski’ has thus been bred, which is crossed with pure Hungarian, Yugoslav, Gołysz and Israeli (Dor-70) lines. The progeny obtained has excellent production characteristics, such as a high survival rate and good feed conversion, which is reflected in low feed conversion ratios. The effect of heterosis means that they grow faster, are more resistant to diseases, have a better flesh yield and are very well adapted to the local natural conditions. The use of the Zator production method, adapted to the environmental conditions of the area defined in (4), makes it possible to obtain a product with specific characteristics. By shortening the breeding period to two years it has been possible to produce young carp with an excellent taste, organoleptic properties and flesh with a lower fat content than is found in older commercial fish obtained as a result of the longer production cycle generally used. It is because the fish is young that ‘karp zatorski’ has a delicate flavour that distinguishes it from carp produced in other geographical areas. This also determines the quality of the flesh and its organoleptic properties, which are greatly appreciated by consumers. The properties of ‘karp zatorski’ are recognised by consumers, as borne out by the fact that it commands prices 10-15 % higher than the price of carp from other geographical areas.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://www.minrol.gov.pl/Jakosc-zywnosci/Produkty-regionalne-i-tradycyjne/Zlozone-wnioski-o-rejestracje-Produkty-regionalne-i-tradycyjne/OGLOSZENIE-MINISTRA-ROLNICTWA-I-ROZWOJU-WSI-z-dnia-3-czerwca-2015-roku

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.