Chapter 10 - Policy and Procedures for Controlled Relaying and Depuration

10.4 Natural and Extended Container Relay Protocols

All companies engaged in a natural or extended container relay operation (greater than or equal to 14 days) must conform to the following criteria:

10.4.1 Shellfish Areas

Harvesting may occur in any area not classified as prohibited and in the open status of its classification.

10.4.2 Storage Facilities

As in 10.2.2 c).

10.4.3 Shellstock Separation Requirements

Defined lots of relayed shellfish are separated by at least 10 metres to avoid cross contamination with other shellfish and to maintain the identity of relayed lots.

10.4.4 Laboratory

As in 10.2.4.

10.4.5 Operational Controls

See 10.2.5 a) and b) where applicable. Shellfish shall not be mishandled or subjected to thermal shock.

Lots of shellfish destined for natural/extended container relay must remain in water for a minimum of 14 days. When an area to which shellfish have been relayed has been placed in closed status due to an emergency event, the relay time of product in the affected area must be extended by an additional 14 days after the area is returned to open status.

Shellfish for relay must be placed in or on a shellfish lease and in an area that is clearly marked off to identify the relay site.

10.4.6 Records

As in Section 10.2.6 (see Annex 10A). Any federally registered facility processing this product must verify as part of their Critical Control Point (CCP) for incoming product that appropriate procedures have been followed.

10.4.7 Routine Natural/Extended Container Relay Monitoring

Lots of shellfish relayed from 14 to 21 days must be analysed for faecal coliforms with a minimum of 1 sample. Lots of shellfish that are relayed in excess of 21 days may be exempt from the testing requirement, at the discretion of CFIA.

Processor/grower records and bacteriological analysis results must be made available upon request.

1. An annual review of the data will be required before the license issued under the Management of the Contaminated Fishery Regulations will be renewed.
2. All analyses are to be performed by a CSSP approved laboratory.

10.4.8 Process Deviations

A lot is acceptable if no sample has a faecal coliform count greater than 230/100 g (after the minimum 14-day relay period). All deviations must be immediately reported to CFIA for product disposition.

If the lot exceeds this limit, the following options may be provided:

1. continue relaying for an extended period;
2. heat process the product if faecal coliform levels are less than 4,000;
3. relay to another area classified as approved; or
4. have shellstock disposed of for other than human consumption.

10.4.9 Release

Product that meets the final hour limits (referenced in Section 10.4.8) may be released to market. Product shall remain under the control of the establishment until released.

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