CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Shellfishermen gather at Barnstable Town Hall for a presentation of new oyster harvesting rules.
HYANNIS – The Town Council Meeting Room at Barnstable Town Hall in Hyannis was full yesterday afternoon as this year’s vibrio control plan was presented.
Oysters are required to be immediately shaded after being harvested and iced within two hours or prior to leaving the point of landing between May 21 and October 18.
Chris Schillaci, a Division of Marine Fisheries Aquatic Biologist, said vibrio bacteria illness is one of the few food-borne illnesses that is increasing instead of decreasing.
“So we did see an increase in 2011, 2012 and 2013,” he said. “But in 2014 we saw almost a 70 percent reduction in reported cases.”
Schillaci said the decrease can be attributed to the control measures that have been taken.
The plan is intended to control the post-harvest growth of the bacteria in oysters during warmer weather to prevent illnesses.
“It’s really all about getting oysters down to temperature as quick as possible so we can make sure there is no growth of vibrio bacteria once they have been harvested,” Schillaci said.
As part of the control plan, harvester logbooks are once again required in case oyster recalls are needed.
Schillaci said the number of oysters produced in 2014 was 34 million compared to just 5 million in 2005.
