EU Regulation 854/2004 (section 6, Annex II) highlights the necessity for competent authorities to establish microbiological monitoring programmes for shellfish harvesting areas. This involves carrying out a number of tasks which are collectively referred to as a “Sanitary Survey”. The Agri Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) has undertaken sanitary surveys in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Potential sources of microbiological contamination were identified through a desktop survey. Several sites were identified as having running discharges (and therefore as a potential source of microbiological contamination) during the shoreline surveys, some of which were in addition to the possible contamination sources noted during the desktop survey. Water samples were collected at these sites and sent for microbiological analysis.