© Bord Iascaigh Mhara
The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) – an auditor of seafood safety and regulation – has released its annual classification list for commercial shellfish production areas across Ireland. The comprehensive list assesses 58 production areas against strict safety requirements, ensuring Ireland’s shellfish produce is safe for human consumption.
According to Bord Iascaigh Mhara - Ireland’s agency for fisheries and aquaculture development – Ireland produced an estimated 26,000 tonnes of shellfish in 2023. Over 85 percent of this produce is exported, principally to European markets, and so the assurance of the safety of Irish shellfish is of utmost importance.
Live shellfish can only be harvested from production areas which meet strict classification requirements for human consumption, as set out under European and Irish Food laws. The SFPA, in collaboration with the shellfish industry, conducts regular shellfish sampling in all production areas, monitoring the levels of bacterial contamination of shellfish to determine the risk and classification status. Each production area is designated a rating that determines the conditions, if any, which need to be observed before shellfish can be sold for human consumption.
“One of the principal remits of the SFPA is to ensure that Irish and international consumers can be assured of the quality and safety of fish and seafood harvested here,” said Paschal Hayes, SFPA executive chairperson, in a press release.
“Shellfish production is an important industry in many coastal communities around Ireland and it is essential that the highest standards of food safety are maintained at all times. The SFPA works in collaboration with industry and other state agencies to ensure that production areas are of the highest possible standard and meet rigorous assessment criteria to ensure that the safety and quality of the shellfish placed on the market is not compromised in any manner,” he explained.
