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Franklin Harbour closed for shellfish harvesting

Wednesday 14 March 2007

Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) has closed Franklin Harbour near Cowell on Spencer Gulf for the sale and movement of all bivalve mollusc shellfish as a precautionary measure until further notice.

This includes oysters, razorfish, mussels, cockles and scallops, both farmed and those collected from the wild.

This follows the detection of pinnatoxins in oysters as a result of ongoing surveillance undertaken by PIRSA’s South Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (SASQAP). The closure is under the Primary Produce (Food Safety Schemes)(Seafood) Regulations 2006.

While little is known about pinnatoxins, and there is no recorded evidence of them causing illness in humans, a precautionary approach has been taken while further tests are undertaken.

PIRSA will increase the frequency of testing and is working with the Department of Health and the South Australian Research and Development Institute to ensure the area can be re-opened as soon as it is possible.

The Franklin Harbour area is the third largest oyster growing area in the State and the closure affects 25 leases.

The area has also been closed to prevent the removal of bivalve molluscs under the Fisheries Act 1982. The closure runs across the mouth of Franklin Harbor from Germain Point to Victoria Point.