Shellfish Partnership

The Shellfish Partnership was formed in 2012 to help the Food Standards Agency (FSA) deliver integrated and cost-effective official food safety controls for molluscan shellfish in the UK. This is required for shellfish-harvesting areas, as described in EU Regulations. The Shellfish Partnership was restructured in 2017 to cover services delivered on behalf of FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS).

Co-ordinated by Cefas, the Shellfish Partnership laboratories (listed below) have an excellent track record for official control programmes delivery and specific expertise in shellfish safety. On a day-to-day basis the Partnership laboratories work to common standards to deliver the following services for the specified locations. 

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)

  • UK-wide: Customer liaison; Partnership co-ordination and reports
  • England, Wales and Scotland: biotoxins monitoring
  • England and Wales only: phytoplankton monitoring; classification
  • Scotland: E.coli monitoring (not for Shetland and Orkney)

Fera Science Ltd

  • Scotland: chemical contaminants monitoring

Hallmark Scotland (HMMH)

  • Scotland: sample collection

Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)

  • Scotland: phytoplankton monitoring; pRMP assessments

SSQC Ltd

  • Shetland and Orkney: E.coli monitoring

To view the latest results from the shellfish monitoring programmes, and for further information, please consult the FSA and FSS websites.

 

Harmonised sampling protocols and forms

 The following list of protocols and forms are used across the Shellfish Partnership, under the official control monitoring programmes.

 

Collection protocols

Shellfish

Water

 

Sample submission forms

Shellfish

Sample submission forms for shellfish collected in England and Wales for classification purposes are available from the official control laboratories undertaking E.coli analysis in England and Wales.

Water

 

FSS Annual Report