National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) Presented by Martin Dowgert, Regional Shellfish Specialist USFDA - Northeast Region at the RI Shellfish Management Plan Seminar Series Lecture on April 24th, 2013.

1. 1
National Shellfish
Sanitation Program
(NSSP)
Martin Dowgert
Regional Shellfish Specialist
USFDA-Northeast Region

2. 2
Background
• Shellfish feed by pumping water-as much
as 15 liters/hour (~5 to ~40 range)
through a complex system of gills which
filter out the suspended marine organisms
and bacteria.
• Shellfish do not discriminate between
harmless organisms and pathogenic
bacteria and viruses.

3. 3
Background
With coastal
population growth,
quantities of
sewage are
discharged daily
into the rivers,
estuaries and
directly into
coastal waters.

4. 4
ISSC:
• The Interstate Shellfish
Sanitation Conference
• Organized: 1982
• Purpose: To improve the
uniformity of state shellfish
sanitation programs under the
NSSP and to improve public
health protection.
• Members include: the federal
government (FDA, EPA, and
NMFS), State Officials, and
the Shellfish Industry.

5. 5
Member Responsibilities
– States:
• Adopt adequate laws and regulations for sanitary
control of the shellfish industry,
• Classify growing areas,
• Patrol closed areas,
• Conduct analysis of water samples,
• Inspect/certify shellfish processors/dealers, and
• Take any additional steps to ensure that the
shellfish reaching the consumer had been grown,
harvested, and processed in a sanitary manner.

6. 6
Responsibilities
• FDA:
– Annually evaluates the the State Shellfish Control
Program and determines the degree of conformity of
the State control program with the NSSP – Model
Ordinance,
– Conducts inspections of a representative number of
shellfish processing plants, growing areas, patrol
regions, and reviews State-maintained records,
– Provides training and technical assistance to those
States as requested,
– Publishes a list of valid interstate shellfish shipper
certificates.

7. 7
Responsibilities
• The shellfish industry:
– Obtains shellfish from safe, approved sources,
– Provides plants which meet the agreed upon sanitary
standards,
– Maintains sanitary operating conditions,
– Places the proper tag & certificate number on each
package of shellfish, and
– Keeps and makes available to the control authorities
records which showed the origin, temperature
control, and disposition of all shellfish.

8. 8
HOW DOES THE ISSC WORK?
• The ISSC has adopted formal procedures for state
representatives to review shellfish sanitation issues
and develop regulatory guidelines.
• Conference members submit ‘proposals’ to change NSSP
requirements.
• Proposals are considered and deliberated by specific
appointed committees.
• Task Forces deliberate committee recommendations.

9. 9
How ISSC Works
• The States are the voting delegates. During the
General Assembly, States accept or reject Task Force
recommendations on proposals.
• FDA does not vote but has veto authority over
proposals.
• Following FDA concurrence, these new requirements
are published in a revision of the NSSP Model
Ordinance (MO).
• Executive Board Activities

10. Program Challenges
• For Harvesters:
– Harvest Area Sanitation;
– Proper Tagging;
– Time-Temperature Criteria;
– Product Protection
• For Aquaculturists:
– Lease Site Selection;
– Proper Tagging;
– Time-Temperature Criteria;
– Product Protection;
– Retailer education
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11. Program Challenges
• Certified Dealers: Facility – Construction, Layout &
Equipment; Processes and Procedures; Receiving
(approved source, proper tags and time-
temperature criteria); Monitoring; and Records.
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus
• Marine Biotoxins
• Recreational Harvesters
• Retail/Restaurant Product Handling
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12. Helpful Websites
• www.issc.org
• www.ecsga.org
• www.fda.gov
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