Statutory guidance

Shellfish production area assessments

Published 27 December 2017

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

We assess and classify a production or relaying area based on the outcome of a sanitary survey.

A new shellfish production area or relaying area cannot be classified until an assessment of the sources of pollution has been carried out. This includes an assessment of the sources of contamination (humans, wildlife and agriculture) in production or relaying areas.

Quantities of organic pollutants released into shellfish production areas can vary at different times of the year, so assessments consider seasonal variance.

This can include:

• rainfall readings
• discharges from waste-water treatment works
• seasonal variations of human and animal populations

Circulation in the water affects how pollutants move around, depending on:

• current patterns
• bathymetry
• tidal cycles

1. Sanitary surveys

Shellfish production and relay areas are affected by multiple sources of pollution. All new shellfish production and relay areas include:

• an assessment of the sources of pollution
• an identified monitoring point for routine sampling (RMP), located at the point likely to demonstrate highest E. coli presence and is therefore most protective of public health
• a sampling plan specifying the location and frequency of routine monitoring samples

Applicants (the harvester) should complete an application form in conjunction with the Local Authority, to request the classification of a new shellfish production or relay area. This provides the initial information for consideration of a sanitary survey. More information on the application process (including requirements before classification) and the application form can be downloaded from the Shellfish classification page.

After your shellfish classification application has been accepted, we will ask our contractor to carry out a sanitary survey. Official control samples collected in accordance with the sampling plan will be needed before an area is classified.

In certain cases, new areas will also require a physical assessment of the site and potential sources of contamination. This is known as a shoreline survey. 

2. Survey Reports and Monitoring Assessments

The most recent sanitary survey and sanitary survey review reports can be found in the following section: 

3. England

3.1 England

PDF - ViewBigbury and Avon Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (3.98 MB)

3.2 England

PDF - ViewBlakeney Sanitary Survey - 2021as PDF (2.76 MB)

3.3 England

PDF - ViewBrancaster Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (5.62 MB)

3.4 England

PDF - ViewBrixham Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (4.04 MB)

3.5 England

PDF - ViewButley Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (3.48 MB)

3.6 England

PDF - ViewCamel Estuary Sanitary Surveyas PDF (2.73 MB)

3.7 England

PDF - ViewChichester Harbour Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (3.15 MB)

3.8 England

PDF - ViewColne Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (4.22 MB)

3.9 England

PDF - ViewDart Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (3.42 MB)

3.10 England

PDF - ViewExe Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (3.23 MB)

3.11 England

PDF - ViewFal Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (5.15 MB)

3.12 England

PDF - ViewHelford Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (12.52 MB)

3.13 England

PDF - ViewHoly Island Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (3.95 MB)

3.14 England

PDF - ViewLangstone Harbour Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (6.07 MB)

3.15 England

PDF - ViewLiverpool Bay Sanitary Survey 2022as PDF (3.38 MB)

3.16 England

PDF - ViewLune Sanitary Survey 2022as PDF (2.67 MB)

3.17 England

PDF - ViewLyme Bay Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (2.79 MB)

3.18 England

PDF - ViewMevagissey Bay Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (4.17 MB)

3.19 England

PDF - ViewMorecambe Bay & Duddon Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (5.69 MB)

3.20 England

PDF - ViewNorth Kent Coast Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (4.16 MB)

3.21 England

PDF - ViewPoole Harbour Sanitary Survey 2022as PDF (5.69 MB)

3.22 England

PDF - ViewPorthallow Cove Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (2.55 MB)

3.23 England

PDF - ViewPorlock Sanitary Survey 2024as PD (6.1 MB)

3.24 England

PDF - ViewPortland Harbour Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (1.61 MB)

3.25 England

PDF - ViewRiver Crouch Sanitary Survey 2022as PDF (3.61 MB)

3.26 England

PDF - ViewSouthampton Water Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (7.22 MB)

3.27 England

PDF - ViewSt Austell Bay Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (4.81 MB)

3.28 England

PDF - ViewStart Bay Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (2.93 MB)

3.29 England

PDF - ViewThe Fleet Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (3.76 MB)

3.30 England

PDF - ViewWalton Backwaters Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (3.34 MB)

3.31 England

PDF - ViewWest Mersea - May 2021.pdfas PDF (4.92 MB)

3.32 England

PDF - ViewThe Wash - June 2021_0.pdfas PDF (5.46 MB)

4. Wales

4.1 Wales

PDF - ViewAnglesey Sanitary Survey 2020as PDF (1.78 MB)

4.2 Wales

PDF - ViewBurry Inlet - Sanitary Survey 2021as PDF (3.99 MB)

4.3 Wales

PDF - ViewCar Y Mor Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (2.28 MB)

4.4 Wales

PDF - ViewConwy Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (4.14 MB)

4.5 Wales

PDF - ViewDee Sanitary Survey 2022as PDF (3.73 MB)

4.6 Wales

PDF - ViewMenai-East-and-West-Sanitary Survey 2025as PDF (8.6 MB)

4.7 Wales

PDF - ViewMilford Haven Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (2.29 MB)

4.8 Wales

PDF - ViewSwansea Bay Sanitary Survey 2023as PDF (9.51 MB)

4.9 Wales

PDF - ViewThree Rivers Sanitary Survey 2024as PDF (4.57 MB)

5. Northern Ireland

5.1 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewBelfast Lough 2008 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (3.45 MB)

5.2 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewBelfast Lough 2014 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (9.75 MB)

5.3 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewCarlingford Lough 2011 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (9.21 MB)

5.4 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewCarlingford Lough 2021 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (11.01 MB)

5.5 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewDundrum Bay 2012 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (6.19 MB)

5.6 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewDundrum Bay 2018 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (1.51 MB)

5.7 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewKillough Harbour 2012 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (4.73 MB)

5.8 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewKillough Harbour 2021 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (2.99 MB)

5.9 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewLarne Lough 2015 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (8.79 MB)

5.10 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewLarne Lough 2025 Sanitary Reviewas PDF (8.16 MB)

5.11 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewLough Foyle 2010 Sanitary Surveyas PDF (9.61 MB)

5.12 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewLough Foyle 2022 Sanitary Survey as PDF(12.61 MB)

5.13 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewLough Foyle 2025 Sanitary Survey Review (Revised).pdfas PDF (22.15 MB)

5.14 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewPaddy’s Point Sanitary Surveyas PDF (1.47 MB)

5.15 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewStrangford Lough 2011 Sanitary Survey as PDF(9.24 MB)

5.16 Northern Ireland

PDF - ViewStrangford Lough 2021 Sanitary Survey as PDF(8.57 MB)

5.17 England and Wales

Accessible versions of the sanitary survey reports for production and relaying areas are available on request via email:

In England: shellfish@food.gov.uk

In Wales: shellfish.wales@food.gov.uk

6. Important

EU references in FSA guidance documents

Directly applicable EU legislation no longer applies in GB. EU legislation retained when the UK exited the EU became assimilated law on 1 January 2024, published on legislation.gov.uk . References to any legislation in FSA guidance with ‘EU’ or ‘EC’ in the title (e.g. Regulation (EC) 178/2002) should now be regarded as assimilated law where applicable to GB. References to ‘Retained EU Law’ or ‘REUL’ should now be regarded as references to assimilated law. 

For businesses moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, information on the Windsor Framework is available on GOV.UK. 

The Windsor Framework was adopted by the UK and EU on 24 March 2023. The Framework provides a unique set of arrangements to support the flow of agrifood retail products from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI), allowing GB standards for public health in relation to food, marketing and organics to apply for pre-packed retail goods moved via the NI Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS).