Shellfish biotoxin monitoring and management

The marine biotoxin monitoring and management plan (MBMMP) (PDF 491KB) has been developed under the Western Australia Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (WASQAP) (PDF 725KB) to ensure regular industry monitoring within shellfish growing areas to gain a better understanding of the risk level and to mitigate the risk of contaminated shellfish. The management plan takes into account the inherent risk, the cost of managing the risk, whilst considering the legislative and financial burden on seafood producing businesses.

The MBMMP is designed for the aquaculture and commercial shellfish harvesting industry, particularly bivalve molluscs harvested from the following areas:

• Cockburn Sound – Southern Flats and Kwinana Grain Terminal
• Mistaken Island
• Oyster Harbour
• Shark Bay

The MBMMP will be reviewed annually to reflect any changes within the industry.

There is also a Sampler Manual (PDF 841 KB) available that provides guidance and instructions not only for sampling under the MBMMP but for sample collection, submission and results interpretation for shellfish sampled under WASQAP.

The Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (ASQAP) (external site) is a government-industry co-operative program that provides for the food safety of shellfish managed in accordance with its operational guidelines. The ASQAP manual comprises of the procedures and administrative practices to enable food safety programs to comply with the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and Export Orders (external site) as they relate to bivalve molluscs, including the schedule to Standard 4.2.1 of the Food Standards Code.

The implementation of pre and post-harvest Manual standards is the responsibility of appropriate state and territory government agencies and industry. Each state and territory divides this responsibility according to documented administrative and procedural arrangements. The manual forms the basis upon which both the administration of state and territory managed shellfish programs and the implementation of producer based operational procedures are audited.

More information

Food Unit
Phone: 9222 2000
foodsafety@health.wa.gov.au