Shellfish Water

The Shellfish Waters Directive (SWD) 2006/113/EC, which replaced SWD 79/923/EEC, aims to protect and where necessary improve the quality of coastal and brackish water bodies in which shellfish live and grow in order to contribute to the quality of edible shellfish products. It does this by requiring shellfish waters to be designated. Designated waters are afforded greater protection and their water quality is monitored by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) according to the requirements laid down in the SWD. NIEA is responsible for ensuring compliance with the SWD.

The SWD is not intended by itself to protect the quality of shellfish for consumption. This element is controlled by the Food Standards Agency through a number of consolidated food hygiene Regulations.

The SWD is transposed into Northern Ireland (NI) legislation by The Surface Waters (Shellfish)(Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997. These were amended by The Surface Waters (Shellfish)(Classification)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009. Both sets of Regulations can be accessed at the following links:

The Surface Waters (Shellfish)(Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

The Surface Waters (Shellfish)(Classification)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.

In 2008 the Department undertook a review of the designated shellfish waters and published a consultation document on proposals for additional designations under the SWD. A copy of the consultion document and a synopsis of the responses received are attached below.

Consultation on Proposals for additional designations under the Shellfish Waters Directive (2.41 MB)

Synopsis of responses to Shellfish Water consultation (20 KB)

The Department classified new or modified existing areas by means of a Legal Notice under Article 6 of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. There are now 10 designated shellfish waters in NI. These are listed below:

1. Lough Foyle, Longfield Bank

2. Lough Foyle, Balls Point

3. Larne Lough

4. Belfast Lough

5. Strangford Lough, Reagh Bay

6. Strangford Lough, Marlfield Bay

7. Strangford Lough, Skate Rock

8. Killough Harbour

9. Dundrum Bay

10. Carlongford Lough

Further details of the designated shellfish waters are available from NIEA via the following link:

www.ni-environment.gov.uk/water-home/quality/shellfish.htm

The Department will review shellfish waters designated under the SWD on a 3 yearly basis to correspond with the current reporting requirements to the EC under the SWD.  However, as the SWD will be repealed in 2013 and subsumed by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EC) the timing of future reviews may be adjusted to take into consideration the review cycles of the River Basin Management Plans required under WFD.