4 °C - the National Sea Grant Library

(4)
advisory committee, and all concerns regarding plant standardization will be
forwarded to the committee which will made recommendations to the
executive board. This process should be helpful in fine tuning processing
plant standardization.
The ISSC education committee has developed a directory of shellfish
education information which can be used by states in advising medically
compromised individuals of the risk of consuming raw shellfish. In 1988 the
conference recommended that states begin educational efforts of this type. To
date, with a few isolated exceptions, very little has been accomplished. The
education committee is being asked to assess the objectivity of available
information and develop additional information for an educational package
which ISSC will make available to states and to other groups to facilitate
effective public health education.
(5) In an effort to establish better communication with state regulatory agencies
and industry, the ISSC has developed a periodical newsletter. Those
interested in receiving the newsletter should contact the ISSC executive
office.
(6) The ISSC is continuing to assist National Marine Fisheries Service and the
northeastern states in the development of a marine biotoxin dockside testing
protocol to allow harvesting of shellfish from Georges Bank. The conference,
with financial assistance from NMFS and FDA, held a workshop on June 28-
29 in Boston. Conference staff was successful in mediating differences which
have previously prevented implementation of this program.
(7) The ISSC is managing the development of the shellfish management
information system (SMIS) which is an Outgrowth of the Shellfish Register
of Classified Estuarine Waters. This project was formerly managed by
National Marine Fisheries Service. It is the goal of the conference to develop
an on-line data base which will be periodically updated to provide current and
accurate harvest area information. It is our intent to make the information
available to states, federal agencies, and industry. The project is expected to
eventually include other seafoods and provide critical support to the FDA
HACCP initiative. The ISSC has established a steering committee to provide
project guidance. The committee includes FDA, NMFS, National Ocean
Service (NOS), EPA, State Regulatory, and Industry Representatives.
(8) ISSC will be assisting FDA in providing training and technical assistance to
states. This is an area which is going to require considerable attention with the
present budget situations of state and federal agencies.
(9) ISSC will be assisting FDA in resolving issues of state non-compliance with
the NSSP. ISSC has recently been involved with FDA in addressing several
state non-compliance issues, and our joint efforts have been quite effective.