Shellfish Water Classification Program - Quebec

• The Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP) monitors the harvesting of shellfish in Canada to achieve its main objective, which is to protect public health from the consumption of contaminated bivalve shellfish. It constitutes the first point of control of the salubrity of the molluscs. The PCCSM requires the annual review of sanitary conditions as well as bacteriological sampling of water quality in shellfish areas exploited for commercial, recreational, food, social and ceremonial (FSC) purposes.

• Conduct studies on the bacteriological quality of water in shellfish areas where bivalve molluscs grow in order to assess whether the classified areas comply with CSSP classification standards. This need requires studies to be carried out in shellfish areas and shellfish aquacutlture sites in Gaspésie and the Magdalen Islands.

• Collection of seawater samples.

• Perform bacteriological analyzes of seawater samples in a laboratory accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories for the reference method: APHA et al., 2017 section 9221 E. 2. Thermotolerant (fecal) Coliform Direct Test (A-1 Medium), p 9-78.), as mentioned in the CSSP manual.

• Measurement of various physical and meteorological factors during sampling rounds.

• Enter data via the “Regional Shellfish Sanitation Information Platform” (PRISM).

• Provide weekly and monthly sampling plans.

• Provide the field notebook and the register of microbiological samples.