4 Molluscan Shellfish Safety in South America
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Colombia
Suriname
French Guiana
Guyana
Trinidad and Tobago
Venezuela
Ecuador
Peru
Brazil
Bolivia
Paraguay
Chile
Argentina
Uruguay
South Atlantic Ocean
South Pacific Ocean
Falkland Islands
Fig. 4.1 Implementation of sanitary controls in South America
Through the Provincial Competent Authorities, each Province defines the
maritime shellfish areas that will be assessed for classification. The final
classification of A, B or C is given by the National Authority (SENASA), according
to sanitary quality based on chemical and bacteriological analysis. Currently, four
provinces – Buenos Aires, R´ ıo Negro, Chubut and Tierra del Fuego – have classified
areas for shellfish harvesting which correspond to “A” class. In other areas with
potential commercially important volumes of molluscs, classification assessments
have begun. In order to maintain their classification level, the provinces monitor
molluscs for the presence of Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) toxins, Amnesic
Shellfish Poison (ASP) toxins and the Lipophilic Toxins complex (okadaic acid
and dinophysistoxins, yessotoxins, pectenotoxins and azaspiracids) in authorized