The AAC has published a Recommendation to the European Commission and the Member States on Good husbandry practices in shellfish farming.
Europe’s shellfish producers shine on the international stage thanks to their expertise, guaranteeing each consumer a product of the highest health quality. Dependent on the quality of shellfish waters and faced with possible contamination linked to the very nature of the open environment in which shellfish grow, European shellfish farmers have developed practices, crisis after crisis, enabling them to help prevent and manage health and animal health crises.
The purpose of this recommendation is to clarify good health and animal health practices, also known as “good husbandry practices” which are already in place in the Member States, and which go beyond the current European regulatory framework. It presents, in a non-exhaustive way, practices implemented by European professionals to offset certain shortcomings, to protect their crops. From these examples, we can derive principles to be incorporated into the definition of “good shellfish husbandry practices”.
In addition, it presents other types of “good practices”, which are just as important to a good definition of good shellfish farming practices, whether environmental, social, or economic. The definition of these other categories will require further discussion with shellfish farmers.