Electrofishing for Razor Clams Scientific Trial: 1 February 2024-31 January 2025

4. Food Standards Scotland (FSS)

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is the Competent Authority responsible for undertaking Official Controls (OCs) to determine the safety of marine waters used for the harvesting of live bivalve molluscs (LBMs) in Scotland. Throughout the year, FSS has continued to support the trial, only classifying and monitoring razor clam harvesting areas that sit within the designated trial zones.

This year, the seasonal closure was again implemented within the trial, which FSS incorporated into the OC monitoring programme. FSS worked with service delivery partners to amend sampling schedules, to ensure that no sampling was undertaken during the four week period, between 22 April and 19 May 2024. Sampling events that sat within the closure period were rearranged, so that collections could be undertaken at another suitable date. This ensured that the required classification and biotoxin samples were collected and submitted to the testing lab and no sampling was missed.

Throughout the year, FSS monitored 20 razor areas in total. This consisted of 18 standard classification areas, 1 provisional classification area and 1 new area sampling towards classification. This is an increase of 1 area on the previous year.

Whilst monitoring these areas, 1 area was subject to a temporary closure notice (TCN). The sample was collected on 15/07/2024 and the closure was for the regulated biotoxin ASP - Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning.

During the year, we assisted in providing area details for 9 separate breaches of sampling out with the classification area boundaries. All breaches were highlighted in a timely manner, with MD and FSS working together to solve any issues.

FSS would like to thank the harvesters again for their continued support in the running of the Scottish OC Shellfish Monitoring Programme.