Experts meet at Cefas to discuss marine pollution
The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) played host this week to an impressive line-up of international scientists on marine pollution.
High-level government experts from 15 countries – including the USA, China, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Argentina, South Africa, Chile, Mexico and various European countries – have been attending an international workshop on the application of sanitary surveys.
Bivalve shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams, etc) are vulnerable to contamination by sewage and agricultural effluents. Consequently, extensive hygiene monitoring programmes are necessary to ensure such shellfish are safe to eat. Recent European food safety legislation (EC 854/2004) requires an extensive pollution assessment – a sanitary survey – to be performed for each food production area.
Cefas, as the European Commission Community Reference Laboratory (CRL), has been instrumental in drawing up European guidance for performing sanitary surveys. The agency is the leading authority in Europe and as such is well placed to co-host the workshop with its American counterpart, the US Food and Drug Administration. Other experts from around the world have been invited to share their knowledge and practice.
Dr David Lees, Director of the CRL, which is based at Cefas’ Weymouth laboratory, said: “This is a great opportunity to exchange best practices and try to reach a common understanding of key issues. We hope it will lead to more international harmonisation and thus to higher levels of safety for the seafood consumer.”
Marine pollution also affects bathing quality, and hence the health and safety status, at beaches and other locations where swimming occurs.
Notes to editors
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Cefas is an internationally renowned scientific research and advisory establishment, based at Lowestoft since 1902. It also has laboratories at Weymouth and Burnham-on-Crouch, and a number of other facilities around the UK.
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Operating as an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Cefas works alongside government and other agencies, both in the UK and internationally, to play a vital role in securing healthy marine and freshwater environments for everyone’s well-being, health and prosperity.
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The agency achieves its aims by providing evidence-based scientific advice, managing related data and information, conducting world-class scientific research, and facilitating collaborative action through its wide-ranging international relationships. It applies its expertise and knowledge gained through over 100 years of applied science and research to fisheries management, environment and biodiversity protection, and aquaculture. For more detail about its range of activities visit www.cefas.co.uk.
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Cefas is the European Union’s Community Reference Laboratory for the monitoring of bacteriological and viral contamination of bivalve molluscs. It is responsible for – among other things – information and guidance on relevant analytical methods, working with national reference laboratories on the application of those methods, co-ordinating research into new methods, and providing scientific and technical assistance to the European Commission. For more about its scope and activities, visit www.crlcefas.org
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There is a standardised system throughout the European Community for the health checks currently required by Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of 29 April 2004 and for developing new procedures for more effective monitoring and control of viral contamination.
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There will be an opportunity to photograph the workshop participants on Friday 19 September at 12:30. Media representatives should contact the press office (below) to confirm their interest by Friday at 11:00.
Press contact:
Anne McClarnon: Telephone: 01502 524370 / Email: anne.mcclarnon@cefas.co.uk
