South African Molluscan Shellfish Monitoring & Control Programme

Annual Report

2011

Custodian:

Shellfish Monitoring Programme Marine Aquaculture Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Private Bag X2 Roggebaai Cape Town 8012

Enquiries:

Mr. Mayizole Majangaza, Email: MayizoleM@daff.gov.za, Tel: 021 403 7065, Fax: 021 434 2144

mailto:MayizoleM@daff.gov.za

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Contents

ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 1

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 2

SHELLFISH FARMS STATUS ............................................................................................................................ 2

MONITORING OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ............................................................................................... 4

MONITORING DATA AND FARM CLOSURES.................................................................................................. 7

Biotoxins.................................................................................................................................................... 7

Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) ............................................................................................................. 8

Diarrhetic Shellfish Poison (DSP) ........................................................................................................... 9

Amnesic Shellfish Poison (ASP) ........................................................................................................... 10

Microbiological Contamination............................................................................................................... 10

Escherichia coli (E. coli) ....................................................................................................................... 10

Salmonella and Vibrio ......................................................................................................................... 11

Heavy metals, Pesticides, PCBs and Radionuclides ................................................................................ 11

COMPLIANCE HISTORY ................................................................................................................................ 13

SHELLFISH MONITORING PROGRAMME PROGRESS ................................................................................... 13

CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................... 15

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 15

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FIGURES

Figure 1: Distribution of shellfish farms along the South African coast ....................................................... 3

Figure 2: PSP results for farms to the west of Cape Point ............................................................................ 8

Figure 3: DSP results for farms to the west of Cape Point .......................................................................... 10

Figure 4: E. coli results for farms on the South African Coastline............................................................... 11

Figure 5: Cadmium results for farms to the East & West Coast of Cape Point ........................................... 12

Figure 6: Lead results for farms to the East & West Coast of Cape Point .................................................. 12

Figure 7: Mercury results for farms to the East & West Coast of Cape Point ............................................ 13

TABLES

Table 1: Schedule for testing of hazardous substances ................................................................................ 5

Table 2: Regulatory limit for human health hazards monitored & test laboratories ................................... 6

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ABBREVIATIONS

AM Aquaculture Management

ASP Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning

CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

DAFF Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

DoH Department of Health

DSP Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning

EOP Environmental Officer Production

EOSP Environmental Officer Special Production

FCO Fisheries Compliance Office

HPLC High-performance liquid chromatography

LCMS Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

NECSA Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa

NRCS National Regulator for Compulsory Specification

PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyls

PSP Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

SABS South African Bureau of Standards

SAMSM&CP South African Molluscan Shellfish Monitoring and Control Programme

SANAS South African National Accreditation System

YTX Yessotoxins

HABs Harmful Algal Blooms

http://www.csir.co.za/

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INTRODUCTION

The South African Molluscan Shellfish Monitoring and Control Programme (SAMSM&CP) is a programme

within the Aquaculture and Economic Development Chief Directorate, which falls within the Fisheries

Management Branch of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

The programme aims to provide the necessary guarantees to local and international markets that the

risk of disease and poisoning through consuming molluscan shellfish is adequately managed and

minimized. To assure that this aim is achieved, the SAMSM&CP is working closely with the Fisheries

Compliance Office (FCO) of DAFF, South African molluscan shellfish farmers, laboratories, National

Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS), Department of Health (DoH) and Municipalities.

The following molluscan shellfish species farmed in South Africa include Haliotis midae (Abalone),

Crassostrea gigas (Oyster), Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mediterranean mussel) and Choromytilus

meridionalis (Black mussel).

The shellfish farms are monitored by the SAMSM&CP for human health hazards such as biotoxins,

microbiological organisms, heavy metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and radionuclides.

Should the regulatory limit for any of the hazardous substances or organisms be exceeded the farms are

temporarily closed for harvesting until the contaminant reaches acceptable limits.

SHELLFISH FARM STATUS

There were 19 shellfish farms monitored by the SAMSM&CP during 2011 of which 9 of the farms were

to the west of Cape Point and 10 farms to the East of Cape Point (Figure 1). The farms to the west of

Cape Point included 3 abalone farms, 2 mussel farms and 2 oyster farms. The farms to the east of Cape

Point included 8 abalone farms and 3 oyster farms. One of the mussel farm on the west of cape point

also culture oysters and one of the oyster farms culture mussels.

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Figure 1: Distribution of shellfish farms along the South African coast

Most abalone farms were land based and one abalone farm was sea based. The abalone on land based

farms are grown in tanks and the water is pumped into the tanks through free flow and/or recirculation

systems. The oyster and mussel farms were sea-based and grown on ropes suspended from floating

rafts; though on one farm the oysters were grown on racks that were planted into the substrate.

Shellfish farms are susceptible to poor water quality as a result of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), sewage,

industrial and domestic contamination. The farms which are at most risk are those situated near

developed areas. Most of the farms in South Africa however are situated in areas that are relatively free

of pollution and have had relatively low incidences of biotoxin concentrations exceeding the regulatory

limit.

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MONITORING OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

The Microbiological organisms are tested for by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), situated

in Rosebank, Cape Town and Swift laboratories situated in Claremont, Cape Town. The tests included

E. coli, Salmonella species and Vibrio species. SABS is accredited for salmonella and Vibrio and in the

process of being accredited for ISO 16649-3 for testing E. coli. Swift is South African National

Accreditation System (SANAS) accredited for SANS 6596 method for testing Vibrio and accredited for

SANS 6179 and ISO 16649-3 methods for testing Salmonella and E. coli respectively.

The biotoxins were tested for at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Rosebank,

Cape Town. The biotoxins monitored include Paralytic Shellfish Po