Closure Of Shellfish Harvesting Areas Of The Annapolis Basin In Nova Scotia

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 22 May 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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The Government of Canada, through the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP), has issued a prohibition order for shellfish harvesting in the Annapolis Basin, Nova Scotia.

This action is being taken as a precautionary measure to prevent potentially contaminated shellfish from reaching consumers. Information was received from the municipal wastewater treatment plant indicating that an interruption in their operations had taken place resulting in sewage contamination of the adjacent waters. This harvest prohibition took effect on Sunday, May 18, 2008.

Government of Canada officials are currently working with the Town of Digby and provincial officials to assess the nature and extent of the malfunction. This assessment will help clarify the severity and extent of the contamination. This will also help to determine the estimated duration of the harvest prohibition.

A plan for harvest area evaluation will then be made and once the quality of the water and shellfish is determined to be satisfactory, the area will be re-opened. All efforts will be made to work as quickly as possible to resolve the issue.

The CSSP partners (the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada) recognize that this closure will have an impact on local communities however, we must first and foremost act in the interest of public health.

In general, the CSSP partners are seeking to strengthen cooperative efforts of all stakeholders to help ensure that any shellfish that may be contaminated by a wastewater treatment plant failure do not reach consumers. This is important for a sustainable fishery and maintaining consumer confidence in this industry.

Further information on the CSSP and the protocol for emergency closures of shellfish harvest areas (Appendix VIII) is available in the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program Manual of Operations.

CSSP Manual of Operations

Appendix VIII

For more information on safe shellfish harvesting, please visit the CFIA website.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency