20 Apr Update on Shellfish Harvesting in Poole Harbour
The aquaculture shellfish beds within Poole Harbour have been closed as a precautionary measure since the start of the incident in Poole Harbour on 26 March.
Following sampling carried out by BCP Council and SIFCA, and facilitated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), these sites can now open as of Thursday 20 April 2023. The FSA have advised that operators of these sites should continue to take appropriate action to ensure that any harvested shellfish are fit for consumption.
The wild shellfish beds are fished on a seasonal basis and are currently closed to dredging until 25 May 2023. Additional sampling has been carried out of these sites and the results, expected within two weeks, will enable an informed decision to be made as to whether fishing can safely commence when the season opens.
The advice remains that hand gathering of shellfish from the intertidal zone should not be carried out until the results from these areas has been received.