Kohl Kanwit - Director, Bureau of Public Health Maine Department of Marine Resources - Maine.gov

Kohl Kanwit - Director, Bureau of Public Health
       Maine Department of Marine Resources

Filter feeding demonstration video

Vibrio spp.
 Naturally occurring marine bacteria
 Pathogenic strains include:
   Vibrio parahaemolyticus
   Vibrio vulnificus
   Vibrio cholerae
   Vibrio fluvialis
   Vibrio metoecus……

Vibrio ecology
 Factors that can affect Vibrio populations and
  distribution:
   Temperature
   Salinity
   Turbidity
   Dissolved oxygen
   Phosphorus
   Nitrogen

Vibrio ecology ctd.
 Temperature is dominant among these factors
 Preferable temperature range is 19-32℃ (66-90˚F)
 Within this range, higher temperatures enhance
 growth and virulence

Vibrio and human health
 3 kinds of infections are typically associated with
  vibrio:
   wound infections,
   primary septicemia, and
   gastroenteritis

 Vibrio infections can be lethal especially for
  immunocompromised individuals

Vibrio and human health-wounds
 Wound infections can
  occur through infection
  of a pre-existing wound
  or one obtained during
  coastal water-related
  activities
 24% cases involved
  wound infections
 Debridement or
  amputation are common
  treatments

Vibrio and human health-septicemia
  Primary septicemia
   involves fever, shock,
   diarrhea, vomiting,
   abdominal cramps and
   skin lesions
  Typically caused by raw
   shellfish consumption
  The fatality rate is up to
   75%

Vibrio and human health-gastroenteritis
  Gastroenteritis is
   characterized as illness
   with vomiting or
   diarrhea, abdominal
   cramps
  Can be caused by
   ingestion of raw seafood
  Underreported due to
   relatively mild symptoms
   that quickly dissipate in
   healthy adults

Closures for Vibrio parahaemolyticus
   Triggered by an outbreak; 2 or more illnesses from
    a single growing area
   Reopening depends on reduced risk of additional
    illnesses (declining temperature)
   There is no reopening number like there is with
     biotoxin

   Carter Newell

Cooling and vibrio

 Research shows that 50F
 (10C) can prevent vibrio
 growth (Cook & Ruple,
 1989).

Vibrio Control Areas
 Damariscotta River
 Upper Sheepscot River
 New Meadows Lakes
 Scarborough River*
 Nonesuch River*
 Spinney Creek*

* Areas proposed for inclusion in 2021
 For specific area definitions see Chapter 115

Vibrio Control Time
 June 1-October 15*

* Proposed season change

Species
 Oysters (American and European)
 Hard clams (quahogs)

Direct harvester sales
 Sales from harvesters homes as allowed under 12
  MRS §6601 are prohibited during Vibrio control
  months for species included (oysters and hard
  clams/quahogs)

Recreational harvest
 Prohibited during control months for species included
  (oysters and hard clams/quahogs)*

*Proposed changes allow municipal shellfish programs to
permit recreational harvest

Mandatory training
 Harvesters, dealers and enhanced retail permit holders
  need to take annual training
 Training can be web-based for previous attendees if
  they don’t have violations
 LPA training can also count for vibrio training

Mandatory Harvest/Purchase Plan
 Submitted before April 1st*
 Finalized/approved by June 1st*
 Describe harvest/purchase process
 Identify vibrio control strategy: ice or 2 hours to dealer
 Product handling
 Transportation methods

*Proposed regulation changes expected to be in effect by June 1, 2021

Shading
 All oysters and hard clams/quahogs must be shaded
 immediately after harvest

Reporting of violations
 Must be reported to Marine Patrol
 Plan is only as good as compliance

Vibrio control strategies for
harvesters
 Ice used during harvest and until delivery to certified
  dealer*; OR
 2 hours to dealer and into temperature control*

 Proposed regulations eliminate ambient air
   temperature controls

*Proposed regulation changes expected to be in effect by June 1, 2021

Icing
 “Adequately iced” means that the amount and application
  of ice is sufficient to ensure that immediate cooling begins
  and continues for all shellstock in a container. If ice slurry
  is used and the shellstock are submerged, the presence of
  ice in the slurry indicates adequate icing. Potable water
  must be used for the production of ice used for cooling of
  shellstock.

 All oysters and hard clams shall be adequately iced
  onboard immediately after harvest and maintained on ice
  until delivery to a certified dealer.

Vibrio control strategies for dealers
 Dealers and enhanced retail permit holders must
  receive oysters and hard clams adequately iced within
  the time to temperature limits established in the NSSP
  MO (e.g. 18 hours)*; OR
 Dealers must receive oysters and hard clams within 2
  hours of harvest and cool to 50° F within 3 hours*
 Product may not be reshipped before it reaches 50° F*

*Proposed regulation changes expected to be in effect by June 1, 2021

NOTE – Everyone except New Meadows Lakes harvesters needs a revised
plan in 2021, there are no renewals of old plans because the regulations are
expected to change significantly by June 1

To be vibrio certified you must complete the in-person or online training (if
eligible) AND submit a new vibrio harvest/purchase plan. Only New
Meadows Lakes harvesters may submit a renewal form.

Where to start
 Call or email DMR with questions, we are happy to help.
 Start early so you have an approved plan by June 1st
 Question 1: Review Chapter 115 and make sure you
  understand the regulations. They are changing in 2021
 Question 2: Attend mandatory training or take online
  renewal quiz.
 Question 3: Think about what you are doing, are you the
  harvester, the dealer (including enhanced retail permit
  holders) or both?

More detail is better
 Question 4: Harvest plan should include everything about
  how you are minimizing the risk of Vibrio. How are you
  shading?
 Question 5: Are you using ice or getting product to the
  dealer in 2 hours? If you use ice remember to include that it
  comes from a potable source and the containers are
  drained. What will you do if you run out of ice or exceed 2
  hours to delivery?
 Question 6: What documentation will you use to record
  harvest time?
 Question 7: Describe how you will identify lots and keep
  them separate if using resubmergence (aquaculture only)

Dealers and Enhanced Retail
Permit Holders
 Question 8: Describe how you will receive product
  from licensed harvesters and include HACCP records.
 Question 9: How will you cool product to 50°F within 3
  hours of receipt?
 Question 10: Describe the protocol used when product
  is received without adequate ice or beyond the 2 hour
  limit.

Contact DMR
DMRPublicHealthDiv@maine.gov