13 December 1999

 

SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD FOR SHELLFISH INDUSTRY

Northern Ireland’s growing shellfish industry made a significant step forward today when the Department of the Environment announced the designation of eight new shellfish waters in estuaries around the Province’s coastline.

The newly designated waters, which became effective on 30 November 1999, are in Carlingford Lough, Dundrum Bay, Strangford Lough, Larne Lough and Lough Foyle. In addition, an existing shellfish water in Strangford Lough has been redesignated.

Designation will require the establishment of pollution reduction programmes to ensure that these waters will conform with prescribed physical, chemical and bacteriological standards as set out in the EC Shellfish Waters Directive. The Department’s Environment and Heritage Service will undertake monitoring of water quality.

The new designations will help to meet the expectations of the shellfish industry in Northern Ireland and protect the quality of its harvests. They are also good news for all those who wish to see yet further improvements in water quality around the Northern Ireland coast.

These designations cover shellfish harvesting areas in Northern Ireland that have already been favourably classified by the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety under the EC Shellfish Hygiene Directive, which sets conditions under which shellfish can be harvested and offered for sale.

 

Notes to Editors

1. The aim of the EC Shellfish Waters Directive (79/923/EEC) is to ensure a suitable environment for shellfish growth. In common with many others in its time, the Directive was implemented administratively throughout the United Kingdom, and in Northern Ireland one shellfish water was designated in 1983 close to Mahee Island in Strangford Lough. Subsequent monitoring has shown compliance with the Directive.
2. More recently, the Government accepted the need to transpose the Directive into legislation. That obligation was discharged for Northern Ireland by the making of The Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) Regulations (NI) 1997. The Department of the Environment also subsequently prepared a list of new shellfish waters which might be designated in Northern Ireland, and in March 1999 it issued a consultation paper which took as a reference point those harvesting areas already classified by the former Department of Health and Social Services (now the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety) under the EC Shellfish Hygiene Directive. The outcome of the consultation is that the Department of the Environment has designated, from 30 November 1999, eight new shellfish waters in Carlingford Lough, Dundrum Bay, Strangford Lough, Larne Lough and Lough Foyle.
3. The aim of the EC Shellfish Hygiene Directive (91/492/EEC) is to protect consumers of shellfish. It classifies shellfish harvesting areas according to the quality of shellfish populations. The classification determines the conditions under which shellfish harvested from those waters can be offered for sale. Shellfish from Class A waters can be sold direct for consumption, but shellfish from Class B or C waters must be cleansed by relaying in cleaner water for varying lengths of time or, in the case of class C, heat treated. Waters below Class C are prohibited for Shellfish harvesting.
4. While the Shellfish Hygiene Directive is entirely aimed at protecting consumers of shellfish and addressing public health concerns, the Shellfish Waters Directive’s primary concern is the well-being of the shellfish population as an indicator of water quality.
5. The Department of the Environment will keep the situation under review so that other shellfish areas can be protected where necessary.