8. Types of classification
8.1 Standard classification
8.1.1 Standard classification may be awarded based on 12 monthly samples collected within a 12 month period, from the time of the initial sample being submitted.
8.1.2 Routine monthly monitoring should be on-going throughout the full calendar year.
8.1.3 A minimum of 10 samples are required within the calendar year for a seasonal A to be considered, whereas 8 samples are required to consider B or C classifications. Every endeavour should be made to provide 12 samples to maintain a robust assessment of the microbiological risk of the area.
8.2 Seasonal classification
8.2.1 Seasonal Classification may be awarded when at least 3 full years’ worth of routine monitoring data shows a clear seasonal trend. The production area may then be given a split classification of A/B, A/C or B/C depending on the interpretation of the available data.
8.2.2 At least 3 years’ worth of data showing a clear seasonal trend is necessary for a seasonal classification to be considered.
8.2.3 Seasonal classifications will comprise of at least 3 consecutive months and the data for each season must be significantly different. Each classified area can have only 2 separate seasons per year.
8.2.4 Routine monthly monitoring should continue throughout the full calendar year.
8.2.5 ‘Buffer months’ will be included when classification changes from B to A, C to A or C to B. For classifications changing in year from B to A or C to B, there will be a 1 month buffer period. For areas going from C to A there will be a 2 month buffer period.
During the buffer period the microbiological water quality must meet the requirements of the better classification, but will be awarded the lower classification for those months. Product will be required to be treated in accordance with the classification given (See Table 1). For example, an area that has E. coli results meeting the requirements for A classification from January – June, C classification results from July to September and A classification results from October to December would be classified A January until June, C July until November and A in December. This is illustrated in table 3.
Table 3. Illustration of buffer months example
| Month | E.coli results | Classification | Buffer month |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | A | A | No |
| February | A | A | No |
| March | A | A | No |
| April | A | A | No |
| May | A | A | No |
| June | A | A | No |
| July | C | C | No |
| August | C | C | No |
| September | C | C | No |
| October | A | C | Yes |
| November | A | C | Yes |
| December | A | A | No |
8.2.6 A minimum of 8 samples are still required to consider B or C classifications and a minimum of 10 samples are required within the calendar year for a seasonal A to be considered.
8.3 Part-Year classification
8.3.1 Harvesters may request a part year classification if there are specific months of the year that won’t be actively fished. However, monthly sampling towards the OC monitoring programme is still expected within these months.
8.3.2 FSS must underline the importance of ensuring every effort is made throughout the year to submit sufficient samples in line with the stated sample plans. This will ensure compliance with the protocol and that there is a robust evidence base for classification.
8.4 Dormant status
8.4.1 Where classified production areas become commercially inactive for a period of time, FSS may temporarily remove the classification and award a ‘dormant’ status.
8.4.2 This status will only be considered for a period of time between 6 – 24 months.
8.4.3 Where an area has been awarded dormant status, it is illegal to harvest LBMs until the status has been lifted.
8.4.4 Dormant status may also be implemented if:
- Shellfish harvesting is no longer occurring at a specific area/site and declassification is requested.
- Where a specific request regarding verified sample numbers has not been met. (verified samples are those samples collected from the RMP directly or corroborated to be from the RMP by an authorised sampling officer).
8.4.5 Harvesters and/or LA’s are required to inform FSS of area inactivity, which will enable the dormant status to be awarded and a reduced monitoring programme be implemented.
8.4.6 During this period, a reduced frequency of quarterly E. coli monitoring may be agreed between FSS and the shellfish harvesters, provided there is sufficient stock to continue sampling.
8.4.7 If the area also has biotoxin/phytoplankton sampling responsibilities, alternative RMP’s will be identified and activated for the period of dormancy. FSS will notify all those affected by this change to ensure there is no interruption to the OC programme requirements.
8.4.8 To remove dormant status, the harvesters and/or LA must first inform FSS of the intention to recommence commercial harvesting.
8.4.9 Routine monthly monitoring will then be required to resume one month prior to harvesting recommencing. The production area’s previous classification will be reinstated, provided the samples taken to remove dormant status, along with the quarterly monitoring results are compliant with the required classification criteria. The classification status will then be subject to annual review once 10 consecutive monthly samples are submitted. At that point, if there is insufficient stock to continuing sampling, the production area may then be de-classified by FSS.
8.4.10 If the production area is still inactive after 2 years of dormancy, it will be de-classified and any monitoring will cease.
8.5 Declassification
8.5.1 Classified production areas that are unable to submit the required number of samples within the calendar year, or where there is insufficient stock for sampling, will be reviewed and possibly de-classified and no longer monitored. Taking the circumstances into account, each area will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
8.5.2 Any request to classify a production area after declassification will require submission of a new classification application to FSS, via the SMC system.