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Risk assessment of water and shellfish quality in Clew Bay

Risk assessment of water and shellfish quality in Clew Bay. Fergal Guilfoyle. Terence O’Carroll. Why carry out a risk assessment?. Problems with current legislation/directives Proactive rather than reactive More than just monitoring required Identifies problem areas

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Risk assessment of water and shellfish quality in Clew Bay

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  1. Risk assessment of water and shellfish quality in Clew Bay Fergal Guilfoyle Terence O’Carroll

  2. Why carry out a risk assessment? • Problems with current legislation/directives • Proactive rather than reactive • More than just monitoring required • Identifies problem areas • Allows potential to improve situation

  3. Why Clew Bay? • Has a good record in respect of shellfish safety • The Clew Bay Marine Forum Ltd. • Active CLAMS group • Good working relationship with Authorities • Good existing sampling programme

  4. Shellfish Water Quality • Shellfish water quality traditionally assessed by E. coli and Faecal coliforms • Main health concern are viruses (Hepatitis A and Norwalk-like viruses) • Viruses survive longer in environment and are slower for shellfish to depurate • Other potential contaminants, heavy metals, hydrocarbons etc. • New methods needed

  5. Sources of Information. • Shellfish Industry • DoCMNR • Marine Institute • An Post Geodirectory and CSO figures • Local Authority (Mayo Co. Co.) • Wastewater Treatment Plants • Licensed industries. • Blue Flag Beaches • EPA

  6. Level of risk assessed for each main area:

  7. Practical Assessment • 10 sites selected • Mussels and Gigas Oysters at each site • Sub Samples tested for E. coli and Bacteriophage • Water chemistry also collected at each site and from main rivers

  8. Bacteriophage as indicators • Bacteriophage may be useful indicator • Easy to detect • Cheap to test for (?) • Present in human sewage • Able to show same or better survival characteristics than the pathogens • Not pathogenic themselves

  9. Preliminary Results • 4 months sample results collected • Results confirm the level of risk assessed

  10. Preliminary Results • 4 months sample results collected • Results confirm the level of risk assessed • What level is safe? • -5000 pfu/100g? • -2000 pfu/100g? • -<30 pfu/100g?

  11. Conclusion: • Currently farmed shellfish are mainly in ‘low’ risk areas • Microbiological & biotoxin contamination main concern for shellfish • Human population and treatment most important influence • Clew Bay water quality is very good for most part • Risk assessment seems to tally with bacteriophage results • Thank you

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