Requirements for shellfish aquaculture movement records in BC

Shellfish product movement records are required to identify and track shellfish harvested from growing areas, through to the consumer. Along with harvest tags and Annual Aquaculture Statistical Reports, product movements are a key component of a robust traceability system.

Shellfish product movement records:

• Document shellfish are from an approved source
• Track product movements/chain of custody through the growing cycle, harvest, and receipt by a licensed processing facility
• Allow harvested shellfish to be traced back to:
• specific licence holder or company
• growing area(s)
• date(s) of harvest
• date and locations of wet storage or relay
• Support public health and regulatory decisions (including closures);
• Support removal of product from distribution and
• Support food illness outbreak investigations.

Requirements seen in orange must be completed by 11:59 pm the day of completion of product movements. Requirements seen in teal must be completed within 14 days of product being sold or provided to a federally licensed processing facility (plant).

Units of measure must match the units you report in your AASR (Annual Aquaculture Statistical Report). All movements to and from your licensed facility must be recorded. The form can be recorded in any format, as long as they can be submitted to DFO in an electronic and sortable format within 24 hours of request of Fishery Officer/Fishery Guardian.

For more information or to receive a sample record keeping spreadsheet please contact: shellfish.aquaculture@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

DFO shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence

15. Records

15.1 The licence holder shall maintain written or electronic records relating to the licensed aquaculture activities throughout the species growing cycle. The records shall:

1. contain the elements listed in Section 15.2, 15.3 and 14;
2. be produced upon request by a Fishery Officer or Fishery Guardian;
3. be submitted to DFO in an electronic and sortable format within 24 hours upon request of a Fishery Officer or a Fishery Guardian.

15.2 The licence holder shall record, by 11:59pm on the day of the conclusion of activity, for each individual licensed facility:

1. the importation or transfer of shellfish to the licenced facility;
2. the transfer of shellfish from the licenced facility;
3. harvest for market sale for that day; and
4. the transfer of harvested shellfish from other locations for wet storage or relay at the licensed facility, prior to market sale.

15.3 For each activity listed in Section 15.2, the licence holder shall record:

1. BC Land File number, or DFO Facility Reference numbers, or groups of BC Land File numbers or DFO Facility Reference numbers associated with the licence holder for licensed facilities in the same Pacific Fishery Management Area;
2. activity date;
3. species common name;
4. the nature of the activity (i.e. Activity Code (IP - Importation) (TS - Transfer) (H - Harvest for Market Sale) (W- Wet Storage) (R – Relay));
5. number of containers;
6. container type;
7. source of shellfish arriving at the licensed facility (source BC Land File number or DFO Facility Reference number, or other); water classification of
   1. source of shellfish arriving at the licensed facility; destination of shellfish leaving the licensed facility including:
   2. destination facility BC Land File number or DFO Facility Reference number for transfers of product; or
   3. name of the facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency federally licensed with the appropriate shellfish processing permission (including Canadian Food Inspection Agency facility licence number), if product is harvested for market sale.

15.4 Within fourteen days of the product being accepted by a facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission, the licence holder shall record:

1. date product accepted a facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission (must be completed even if product wet stored at another licensed aquaculture facility that is approved for wet storage); and
   
2. total weight, OR number of dozens, OR number of individuals of harvested product accepted by a facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission. The unit of measure reported must match what is reported in the Annual Aquaculture Statistical Report.