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National Shellfish Sanitation Program
Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish
2003
Model Ordinance
VI. Shellfish Aquaculture
Table of Contents
Requirements for the Authority
[Note: The Authority must meet the requirements of this section even if
the Authority does not formally adopt this section in regulation.]
@.01 General.
- The Authority shall maintain the following records while the
aquaculture activity continues:
(1)
|
Construction and remodeling
plans for any permitted aquaculture facility; |
(2)
|
Aquacultural operational
plans; and |
(3)
|
Aquaculture permits. |
- The Authority shall inspect land based and polyculture
aquaculture systems at least every six months.
@.02 Seed Shellstock.
- The Authority shall establish the submarket size for each species
of shellfish in accordance with §.01B. and §.01C.
- All sources of seed shall be sanctioned by the Authority.
@.03 Land Based Aquaculture
- Inspection. The Authority shall inspect land-based sites at least
every six months.
- The Authority shall approve the written operational plan for any
land based aquaculture facility prior to its implementation.
Requirements for the Harvester/Dealer
.01 Exceptions. The following activities are exempted
from these requirements:
- Hatcheries;
- Nursery products which do not exceed 10 percent of the market
weight; and
- Nursery products which are 6 months or more growing time from
market size.
.02 General.
- Aquaculture encompasses both open water and land based
monoculture and polyculture.
- Any person who performs open water aquaculture or operates an
aquaculture facility to raise shellfish for human consumption shall
obtain:
(1)
|
A permit from the Authority
for the activity or for construction and functioning of his facility; |
(2)
|
A harvester's license; and |
(3)
|
Certification as a dealer,
where necessary. |
- Shellfish aquaculture shall be practiced only in strict
compliance with the provisions of the permit issued by the Authority
for the aquaculture activity. Authorization shall be based on the
aquaculturist's written operational plan.
- Prior to beginning his activity, an aquaculturist shall obtain
the permission of the Authority for use of his site and any
construction.
- Water quality at any site used for open water or land based
aquaculture shall meet the criteria for the approved, conditionally
approved, restricted or conditionally restricted classification.
- Shellfish cultured in any open water or land based system meeting
the criteria for the approved classification of a growing area
throughout the culture period may be immediately marketed.
- Any shellfish raised in aquaculture shall be subjected to
relaying or depuration prior to direct marketing if the culture area or
facility is located in or using water which is in:
(1)
|
The closed status of the
conditionally approved classification; |
(2)
|
The restricted
classification; or |
(3)
|
The open status of the
conditionally restricted classification. |
- Only drugs sanctioned by the FDA shall be used for shellfish
treatment.
- Harvesting, processing, storage, and shipping requirements for
shellfish raised in aquaculture shall be the same as the requirements
for wild shellfish specified in Chapters V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII,
XIII and XIV.
- Complete and accurate records shall be maintained for at least
two (2) years by the aquaculturist and shall include the:
(1)
|
Source of shellfish,
including seed if the seed is from growing areas which are not in the
approved classification; |
(2)
|
Dates of transplanting and
harvest; and |
(3)
|
Water source, its treatment
method, if necessary, and its quality in land based systems. |
.03 Seed Shellstock.
- Seed may come from any growing area, or from any growing area in
any classification, provided that:
(1)
|
The source of the seed is
sanctioned by the Authority. |
(2)
|
Seed from growing areas or
growing areas in the restricted or prohibited classification have
acceptable levels of poisonous or deleterious substances; and |
(3)
|
Seed from growing areas or
growing areas in the prohibited classification are cultured for a
minimum of 6 months. |
.04 Open Water Aquaculture.
Any open water aquaculture activity shall be in compliance when it
meets the requirements of §.01, §.02, and §.03, as
appropriate.
.05 Land Based Aquaculture.
- Operational Plan. Each land based aquaculture facility shall
have a written operational plan. The plan shall be approved by the
Authority prior to its implementation and shall include:
(1)
|
A description of the design
and activities of the culture facility; |
(2)
|
The specific site and
boundaries in which shellfish culture activities will be conducted; |
(3)
|
The types and locations of
any structures, including rafts, pens, cages, nets, tanks, ponds, or
floats which will be placed in the waters; |
(4)
|
The species of shellfish to
be cultured and harvested; |
(5) |
If appropriate, the source
and species of other organisms to be cultured in any polyculture
systems; |
(6) |
Procedures to assure that
no poisonous or deleterious substances are introduced into the
activities; |
(7) |
A program of sanitation,
maintenance, and supervision to prevent contamination of the final
shellfish products; |
(8) |
A description of the water
source, including the details of any water treatment process or method,
if necessary; |
(9) |
A program to maintain water
quality, which includes collection of microbial water samples and their
method of analysis and routine temperature and salinity monitoring. The
bacterial indicator monitored shall be the same as used for monitoring
growing areas; |
(10) |
Collection of information
on the microbial and chemical quality of shellfish harvested from the
aquaculture site; |
(11) |
Collection of data
concerning the quality of food production (algae or other) used in the
artificial harvest system; |
(12) |
Maintenance of the required
records; and |
(13) |
How shellstock will be
harvested, processed if applicable, and sold. |
- Water Systems.
(1)
|
If the aquaculture system
is of continuous flow through design, water from a growing area
classified as approved, or in the open status of the conditionally
approved classification at all times shellfish are held, may be used
without treatment. |
(2)
|
Water used in land-based
aquaculture incorporating a closed or recirculating system shall:
(a)
|
Not contaminate
shellfish with residues that are not Generally Recognized As Safe
(GRAS); |
(b)
|
Come from a source
meeting the restricted classification criteria at a minimum; |
(c)
|
Be maintained, at a
minimum, at the bacteriological quality of the restricted
classification; and |
(d)
|
Be measured at least
five times per year. |
|
(3)
|
If the water in the closed
or recirculating system meets the criteria for the conditionally
approved classification, the operational plan, prior to shellstock
harvest, shall require, at a minimum:
(a)
|
Collection of three
water samples from the tank at least three days apart over a 14 day
period; and |
(b)
|
A fecal coliform of
less than 14 MPN per 100 ml in each water sample from the holding tank.
|
|
- Shellstock Quality.
(1)
|
Shellstock cultured in any
system meeting the criteria for the approved classification throughout
the culture period may be used in direct marketing. |
(2)
|
If the water in a closed or
recirculating system is classified as conditionally approved and in the
open status, and if the water quality meets a fecal coliform level of
less than 14 MPN per 100 ml in each sample collected in the 14 days
prior to harvest, the shellstock may be used in direct marketing. |
(3)
|
Shellstock cultured in a
closed or recirculating system which does not meet the requirements of
§B.(1) or §B.(2) shall be relayed or depurated prior to
direct marketing. |
.06 Polyculture Systems.
A polyculture system shall:
- Meet all requirements in §. 05 Land Based Systems;
- Provide information concerning all sources of and species of all
organisms to be cultivated, cultured, and harvested;
- Include in its operational plan requirements to:
(1)
|
Monitor for human
pathogens, unacceptable levels of animal drugs, and other poisonous or
deleterious substances that might be associated with polyculture
activities; and |
(2)
|
Subject all harvested
shellstock to relaying or depuration if human pathogens, unacceptable
levels of animal drugs, and other poisonous or deleterious substances
exist at levels of public health significance. |