Mission
To protect the health of consumers by regulating the processing and distribution of molluscan shellfish.
What we do
- Participate in the National Shellfish Sanitation Program to promote and improve the sanitation of shellfish in interstate commerce through dealer certification.
- Partner with: Rhode Island shellfish industry, RI Departmental Management, (Marine Fisheries Section and Office of Water Resources, RI Environmental Police, RI Coastal Resources Management Council and the Interstaet Shellfish Sanitation Conference.
Accomplishments
- One of two FDA approved shellfish laboratories on the east coast approved to measure the concentration of domoic acid, a biotoxin, produced by the harmful plankton Pseudo nitzschia. In 2016 and 2017 blooms of this harmful plankton occurred in Narragansett Bay and southern New England coastal waters closing shellfish harvesting area. This testing capability is maintained to protect public health and safety if harmful blooms occur and to determine when when they dissipate so shellfish harvesting can resume safely.
- A new more sensitive test method was implemented for testing domoic acid. This method will be employed to protect public health and safeguard the shellfish industry and the state’s shellfish reputation by determining earlier when harmful plankton are producing domoic acid.
- The shellfish laboratory is a member of the Rhode Island Shellfish Initiative, a partnership of government, business, academia, and community to strengthen our state’s shellfish management practices and promote growth and innovation within our local seafood industry.