Sanitary classification of shellfish production and relaying areas

A classification by group of shellfish

All professional live shellfish production and relaying areas (farming and professional fishing areas) are subject to a sanitary classification, defined by prefectural order. This is established on the basis of microbiological analyses of shellfish from these areas, using Escherichia coli (E. coli) as an indicator of fecal contamination (in number of E. coli per 100 g of flesh and intervalvular fluid - CLI).
Environmental contaminants are also investigated: lead, cadmium, mercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB).

The classification of areas distinguishes 3 groups of shellfish according to their physiology :

Group 1 : gastropods (whelks etc.), echinoderms (sea urchins) and tunicates (violets) ;
Group 2 : burrowing bivalves, i.e. filter-feeding bivalve molluscs whose habitat is sediments (clams, cockles, etc.);
Group 3 : non-burrowing bivalves, i.e. filter-feeding bivalve molluscs whose habitat is located outside the sediment (oysters, mussels, etc.)

The European regulation provides that non-filtering marine gastropods (e.g. whelks) and pectinids (e.g. scallops) can be harvested outside classified areas, under certain conditions.

Three classes

The class of the professional production areas is regularly assessed by analyzing the data from the monitoring of the areas, as a rule for the last three years. The classification rules are defined in Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of 29 April 2004 and provide for three classes :

Classes	Distribution of results (per 100 g of CLI)	Consequences
Class A	80% or more of results ≤ 230 E. coli Maximum 20% of results between 230 and 700 E. coli No results > 700 E. coli	Direct consumption possible after the harvest
Class B	90% or more of results ≤ 4600 E. coli No results > 46000 E. coli	Mandatory purification in an approved center or relaying before release for consumption
Class C	Less than 90% of the results ≤ à 4600 E. coli No results > 46000 E. coli	Mandatory long-term storage before release for consumption or heat treatment

Classes

Distribution of results
(per 100 g of CLI)

Consequences

Class A

80% or more of results ≤ 230 E. coli
Maximum 20% of results between 230 and 700 E. coli
No results > 700 E. coli

Direct consumption possible after the harvest

Class B

90% or more of results ≤ 4600 E. coli

No results > 46000 E. coli

Mandatory purification in an approved center or relaying before release for consumption

Class C

Less than 90% of the results ≤ à 4600 E. coli

No results > 46000 E. coli

Mandatory long-term storage before release for consumption or heat treatment

For all classified areas, the levels of environmental contaminants must comply with the maximum levels defined in Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006

Areas that do not meet all of these criteria, or where there is no data on contamination, are unclassified and no production or harvesting is allowed.

Some areas may be subject to random, very occasional exploitation. For these areas, known as eclipsed areas, the harvesting and marketing of shellfish, of certain groups or species, are subject to prior authorization and under specific conditions defined in a specific prefectoral decree (opening period, reinforced monitoring, etc.). Outside of these regulated periods of exploitation, the harvesting of these shellfish is forbidden.

Regulatory references :

Commission executive regulation (EU) 2019/627 of 15 March 2019 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption

Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.

Code Rural et de la Pêche Maritime
Order of November 6, 2013 on the classification, monitoring and sanitary management of production areas and relaying areas of live shellfish

Specific warnings

The classification presented on this site concerns only the areas where professional activity is carried out..
Recreational fishing may be carried out in professional production areas classified as A or B (outside of farming concessions and without prejudice to the rules specific to the exercise of this activity, notably in terms of protection of the resource and the coastline). It is prohibited in professional production areas classified as C. Outside of classified areas, it is advisable to contact the town hall of the municipality or the Regional Health Agency (ARS) concerned.
The site shows the last situation known by the operator concerning the classification of the zone in question; some zones may be downgraded or temporarily banned from harvesting and marketing due to microbiological, phycotoxic or chemical contamination. To find out which areas are authorized for harvesting, please consult the STATUS tab. Only the signed prefectoral decree is authentic.