Proposed Animal Products Notice: Specifications for bivalve molluscan shellfish for human consumption

Background

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) proposed to amend and replace the Animal Products (Specifications for bivalve molluscan shellfish) Notice 2006 with the Animal Products Notice: Specifications for bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS) for human consumption.

The purpose of the proposed Notice was to:

• specify the requirements for BMS for human consumption
• amplify the general standards in the Animal products (regulated control scheme – bivalve molluscan shellfish) regulations 2006
• improve clarity and to confirm the requirements and expectations for BMS operators
• reflect any legislative updates
• transfer to the new MPI requirements format.

The review of the Notice also considered:

1. the report, Improving the management of risk of human enteric viruses in shellfish at harvest to revise sections on the annual review and evaluation of BMS growing areas
2. advances in scientific knowledge for marine biotoxins and phytoplankton
3. the Animal Products Notice: Specifications for laboratories
4. updates in the USA shellfish sanitation programme.

Have your say

MPI invited you to comment on the proposed Notice. We were particularly interested in your feedback on these questions:

1. Is the level of detail appropriate for the seafood sector?
2. Are the technical aspects correct?
3. Are the procedures practical and achievable for the seafood sector?
4. Are there any areas that need more guidance? Download [PDF, 1.3MB] [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Consultation documents

• Draft Animal Products Notice for consultation [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Related documents

• BMS RCS table of key changes [PDF, 214 KB]
• Current Notice – Animal Products (Specifications for bivalve molluscan shellfish) Notice 2006 [with references to proposed clauses]

Making your submission

Submissions closed at 5pm on Friday 27 October 2017.

Submissions are public information

Note, comments you make in a submission are public information. Anyone can ask for copies of all submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the information available unless we have a good reason for withholding it. You can find those grounds in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA. Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your feedback. Reasons might include, it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may require the information be released.