38. Considering that public health provisions are an essential component in the chain of activities involved in production, harvesting and marketing of bivalves for human consumption.
39. Considering that unfortunately, the public health component is often minimized, or in some countries even overlooked in the development and management of shellfish cultures or harvesting activities.
40. Considering that without an effective shellfish sanitation programme that will assure a product having an acceptable health risk for the consumer, no system of shellfish production and marketing -- regardless of the opportunities and efficiency of its other components -- is acceptable by current standards, the workshop made the following recommendations.
At the country's request technical assistance should be made available to requesting countries requiring the organization and implementation of a national shellfish sanitation programme.
Each country should identify the national infrastructure(s) (agency/ies) capable of effecting the assessment of water quality, monitoring culture and harvesting activities, and providing adequate surveillance of the chain of supply from production to retail (including maintenance of product identity and testing shellfish for contaminants at the marketing stage). NACA/FAO should take the leading role in collecting national information.
Development of regional and national training activities geared to organize and implement national fish sanitation programmes. NACA/FAO should seek funds needed to organize such activities giving priority to organizing a first regional training, possibly within the region or in a European and North American country having such programme. The possibility of staff exchange and internships should also be explored in the various areas selected for shellfish sanitation. Individual country efforts aimed to organize such activities at national level might count with limited support from UNDP/FAO training programme on Quality Assurance of Fish & Fishery Products. IFREMER has proposed to seek funds with EEC for such training activities.
Development of general (regional) guidelines for the elaboration of basic legislation covering the sanitary control of production and marketing of shellfish bivalves. Once more this work should be done through NACA/FAO leadership.
Information exchange should be promoted and assisted through NACA/FAO.
