VANCOUVER – Today Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced that maps are now available on the Department’s Pacific Region website that describe and clearly show the sanitary contamination closures for shellfish throughout the coast of British Columbia. As part of the Department’s commitment to the health and safety of Canadians, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, together with Environment Canada, has developed these new maps to visually depict the permanent and seasonal bivalve shellfish contamination closures along the coast of B.C. Closure descriptions have always been listed in the British Columbia Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide and commercial fishing plans, and more recently, maps of the closures have been available through local offices. The creation of these new and easily accessible maps for all of the harvesting closures will further assist both commercial and recreational harvesters of bivalve shellfish to identify which areas are closed to harvesting. Permanently installed metal signs are also used to mark contaminated beaches. The coast of B.C. is known for providing a wide variety of opportunities and locations to harvest an array of shellfish. Province-wide, however, there are more than 270 areas closed due to sanitary (sewage) contamination to the harvest of bivalve shellfish. Areas of the B.C. coast are closed to shellfish harvesting when faecal coliform contamination levels are too high for safe public consumption. These closures are intended to protect the public from consuming contaminated shellfish, which can cause serious illness. Fisheries and Oceans Canada regularly conducts enforcement activities to ensure shellfish products for commercial sale are not from contaminated areas. The Department would like to remind retailers and the public that only fish caught under a licence that authorizes sales should be purchased. Fish and shellfish that are being sold to the public go through health and safety inspections that are required when selling to the public. Only seafood products that are accompanied by proper documentation to prove the commercial source, legal possession, and processing of the product should be purchased. Environment Canada, in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, routinely conducts surveys to monitor water quality and recommends closures to Fisheries and Oceans Canada when necessary. New closures may be implemented on short notice, therefore harvesters are advised to check for both sanitary contamination closures as well as the shellfish biotoxin (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning or "Red Tide") closures prior to harvesting any bivalve shellfish. In addition to consulting the DFO website for maps and area descriptions of contaminated areas, recreational harvesters may also contact their local DFO office or consult the Sport Fishing Guide for sanitary contamination closure information. The national Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP) provides standards, policy and guidance for the sanitary control of bivalve shellfish to minimize the risk to consumers. Under CSSP, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are increasing their activities surrounding water testing and examining sources of pollution; monitoring of product in fish processing facilities; monitoring of shellfish toxins; managing shellfish harvesting; closing areas on recommendations; and publicizing and patrolling these closures. These Departments continue to work closely to protect the health and safety of Canadians.
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Follow this link to the sanitary closure maps
listed by area: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/ops/fm/shellfish/closures/sanitary.htm
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