SFPA publishes annual classification list of Ireland’s shellfish production areas. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has published the annual classification list for commercial shellfish (bivalve mollusc) production areas across Ireland, assessing 144 classifications of production areas against strict food hygiene standards. As part of the 2025 annual review of classifications, two production areas received upgrades to their classifications, twelve had changes to classification type unrelated to water quality and seventeen were downgraded.
Live shellfish may only be harvested from production areas that meet strict classification requirements for human consumption, as set out under European and Irish Food law. The SFPA, in collaboration with the shellfish industry, conducts regular shellfish sampling across all production areas, monitoring the levels of bacterial contamination of shellfish to determine the risk and classification status. Each production area is designated a rating that determines the conditions, if any, that must be observed before shellfish can be placed on the market (see notes for more information).
Paschal Hayes, Executive Chairperson of the SFPA said that Ireland’s shellfish monitoring programme was important for both consumers and commercial producers.
“The SFPA is dedicated to maintaining the safety and quality of shellfish production by conducting ongoing shellfish monitoring programmes to classify production areas. Shellfish monitoring is a critical safety measure for consumers and helps protect the shellfish industry by preventing outbreaks and ensuring that seafood remains safe to eat. The SFPA works in collaboration with industry and other state agencies to ensure that production areas are of the highest possible standard and meet rigorous assessment criteria to ensure that the safety and quality of the shellfish placed on the market is not compromised in any manner.”
Bill Dore, Team Leader, Shellfish Microbiology, Marine Institute said:
“The publication of the classification list is the annual culmination of the ongoing partnership between the Marine Institute and the SFPA in the microbiological monitoring of shellfish production areas in Ireland. As the National Reference Laboratory for monitoring E. coli contamination in bivalve shellfish, the Marine Institute oversees the national E. coli testing programme ensuring high quality test results produced by the laboratories. This contributes significantly to the assessment of the risk of microbiological contamination in shellfish production areas and the overall classification status of individual production areas.”