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CHAPTER 10 - POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR CONTROLLED RELAYING AND DEPURATION

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Relay systems (natural or in containers) and land-based depuration establishments are efficient methods of achieving microbiologically safe bivalve molluscs that are harvested from closed areas with limited contamination. This chapter outlines the requirements for the operation of these types of activities in Canada.

Section 4(2) of the Management of Contaminated Fisheries Regulations allows for a license to fish for food purposes in an area that is contaminated, following approval of a decontamination plan. Under the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and Environment Canada (EC), CFIA advises on these decontamination plans. This is done under the authority of the Fish Inspection Regulations (FIR) which also contain the requirements for the processing (i.e., depuration), transportation and holding of shellfish.

Anyone proposing to relay or develop a depuration facility must be able to meet these requirements before a license for harvesting in closed areas can be issued. This is in addition to any commercial shellfish license required regionally.

10.1 Procedures for Approval of a Depuration Facility or Relay Operation

When an interest is expressed by someone wishing to set up a depuration facility or relay operation, the following procedures apply:

a) The applicant is to submit a proposal to the local CFIA office. The proposal must include the following:

1. a description of where any facility is to be located and the proposed timetable for construction;
2. if applicable, in consultation with DFO, the planned harvesting areas, and expected harvest quantity;
3. the proposed harvesting area;
4. the process water source for any depuration facility, or when applicable, the relay site;
5. the depuration facility and equipment design (section 10.2.2) including provisions for laboratory facilities;
6. the planned utilisation of any product during the evaluation period; and
7. a detailed description of the controls that will ensure that labelling, harvesting, transport, operational and pre- and post-depuration storage requirements are met.

b) The proposal is to be forwarded by CFIA to the applicable DFO and EC offices for evaluation. The responsibilities for evaluating the proposals are as follows:

1. EC: responsible for the classification of the harvest area and the relay site;
2. DFO: responsible for the control of harvest in contaminated areas and the issuance of harvest licenses pursuant to the Management of Contaminated Fisheries Regulations.
3. CFIA: responsible for evaluating the proposal against the criteria defined in the depuration or relay protocols described in sub-sections 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4.

A maximum of four weeks is recommended for the return of comments.

c) After the proposal has been reviewed, CFIA will advise the applicant that:

1. the proposal is accepted as a basis for continuation of the project; or
2. changes to the proposal are necessary.

A meeting may be arranged with the applicant to explain the process and to clarify specific requirements.

d) Project Approval

Once the project proposal is accepted, and the applicant is prepared to commence operations, the following steps must be completed:

1. any building and storage facility must be inspected and the processing water approved;
2. any facility design and operation must conform to protocol and must meet Fish Inspection Regulation (FIR) requirements; and
3. as applicable, a Memorandum of Agreement (Annex 10D), an approved operational protocol, and/or the License (Annex 10C) are signed.

Each registered facility that depurates or relays shellfish must consider, and where applicable, incorporate the following components (10.2 - 10.4) in the development and implementation of their Quality Management Program.

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