A sanitary survey is a comprehensive risk assessment of all actual and potential pollution sources likely to impact on a shellfish growing area. This will include agricultural, industrial, domestic and natural inputs into the environment.
A sanitary survey includes a shoreline study, a hydrographic and meteorological study, collection and assessment of water quality data with respect to microbial and chemical parameters, and a risk assessment of biotoxin issues. The main output of a sanitary survey is the classification of the growing area and development of management plans where appropriate.
The classifications available are
- APPROVED: areas that do not have significant contamination even under adverse conditions. Harvesting may occur all year round.
- APPROVED CONDITIONAL: areas that meet the APPROVED classification for most of the time but under well defined and predictable conditions (e.g. after heavy rainfall) the water quality may temporarily deteriorate to an unacceptable level. During such periods the growing areas are closed and harvesting for sale thus prohibited.
- RESTRICTED: areas that typically have intermittent but low levels of pollution and are suitable only for growing juvenile shellfish which can be transferred at a young age to APPROVED/APPROVED CONDITIONAL areas for maturation and eventual market. During this grow out phase they cleanse themselves of any contaminants.
- PROHIBITED: areas that suffer from pollution to such a degree that shellfish may not be taken for any purpose.
Sanitary Survey updates are produced each year for each growing area. These include an analysis of recently collected data followed by a review of the classification of each growing area. Management Plans of Conditionally Approved growing areas are also reviewed at this time. To view the Sanitary Survey updates please use the links below: