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Statutory guidance

Biotoxin and phytoplankton monitoring

The risks of marine biotoxins and phytoplankton that infect shellfish and what food businesses can do about them.

Updates to this page

From:
Food Standards Agency
Published:
15 January 2020
Last updated:
1 October 2026
Show all updates

  1. Burry Inlet has been removed from the list of closures in the biotoxin and phytoplankton HTML document, as marine biotoxins are within safe limits. The biotoxin and phytoplankton sampling plan for England and Wales has been updated, including changes to Three Rivers.

  2. Porthallow has been reopened for commercial harvesting as marine biotoxins are within safe limits.

  3. St. Austell Bay has been reopened for commercial harvesting as marine biotoxins are within safe limits.

  4. Updated closures section with latest live updates: the Car y Mor Production Area is open and the St Austell Bay Production Area is closed.

  5. Biotoxin and phytoplankton sampling plans for England and Wales updated on 1 September 2026 with new information. The plan for Liverpool Bay has been removed and the plan for Burry Inlet has been amended.

  6. Porthallow is currently closed for commercial harvesting due to the presence of marine biotoxins above safe limits.

  7. Under 9.1 the production areas are currently closed for commercial harvesting due to the presence of marine biotoxins above safe limits was updated to remove Lyme Bay and add Car y Mor

  8. The Biotoxin and Phytoplankton Sampling Plans for England and Wales has been updated. Burry Inlet has been added to the list of production areas currently closed for commercial harvesting due to the presence of marine biotoxins above safe limits.

  9. Lyme Bay has been added to the list of production areas currently closed for commercial harvesting due to the presence of marine biotoxins above safe limits

  10. Biotoxin and phytoplankton sampling plans for England and Wales updated for July

  11. Live updates has been updated to remove Porthallow from the list of closed production areas (now open)

  12. Mevagissey Bay and St. Austell Bay have been removed from the closed production area list.

  13. Added translation

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

Documents

Biotoxin and phytoplankton monitoring

HTML

Protocol for sampling and transport of shellfish for Northern Ireland

PDF, 316 KB, 8 pages

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Protocol for the collection and transport of shellfish samples for England & Wales

PDF, 577 KB, 16 pages

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Shellfish end product test Northern Ireland

PDF, 471 KB, 1 page

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Protocol for sampling and transport of water samples for Northern Ireland

PDF, 142 KB, 6 pages

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Protocol for the collection and transport of water for England & Wales

PDF, 271 KB, 15 pages

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Biotoxin and phytoplankton sampling plans for England and Wales

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 328 KB

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Shellfish and water sample submission form for Northern Ireland

PDF, 44.6 KB, 1 page

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Details

The risks of marine biotoxins and phytoplankton that infect shellfish and what food businesses can do about them.

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