Requirements for shellfish aquaculture movement records in BC

Shellfish product movement records are required to identify and track shellfish harvested from growing areas through to licensed processing facilities, for proper management of fisheries and with the intent to protect consumers. Along with product tagging and data in Annual Aquaculture Statistical Reports, tracking and documenting product movements are a key component of a robust traceability system.

Shellfish product movement records:

1. Document that shellfish are from an approved source;
2. Track product movements/chain of custody through the growing cycle, harvest, and receipt by a licensed processing facility;
3. Allow harvested shellfish to be traced back to:
• specific licence holder or company
• growing area(s)
• date(s) of harvest
• date and locations of wet storage or relay
4. Support public health and regulatory decisions (including closures);
5. Support removal of product from distribution and
6. Support food illness outbreak investigations.

Requirements seen in red must be completed by 11:59 pm on the day of conclusion of product movement.

Requirements seen in grey must be completed within 14 days of product being sold or provided to a federally licensed processing facility (plant).

Units of measure must match the units you report in your AASR (Annual Aquaculture Statistical Report). All movements to and from your licensed facility must be recorded.

All entries must be complete

Can be recorded in any format, as long as they can be submitted to DFO in an electronic and sortable format within 24 hours of request of fishery officer/fishery guardian.

For more information or to receive a sample record keeping spreadsheet please contact: DFO.AQSF-AQMC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence (2025)

15. Records

15.1 The licence holder shall maintain complete and accurate written or electronic records relating to the licensed aquaculture activities throughout the species growing cycle, and for six (6) years. The records shall:

1. contain the elements listed in Section 15.2, 15.3 and 15.4; and
2. be submitted to DFO in an electronic and sortable format within 24 hours upon request of a fishery officer or a fishery guardian.

15.2 The licence holder shall record, by 11:59 pm on the day of the conclusion of activity, for each individual licensed facility:

1. the importation of shellfish or transfer of shellfish to the licensed facility;
2. the transfer of shellfish from the licensed facility;
3. harvest for market sale for that day; and
4. the transfer of harvested shellfish from other locations for wet storage or relay at the licensed facility, prior to market sale.

15.3 For each activity listed in Section 15.2, the licence holder shall record:

1. BC Land File number, or DFO Facility Reference numbers, or groups of BC Land File numbers or DFO Facility Reference numbers associated with the licence holder for licensed facilities in the same Pacific Fishery Management Area;
2. activity date;
3. species common name;
4. the nature of the activity (i.e. Activity code (D - Depuration); (H - Harvest for market sale); (HR – Harvest of relayed product for market sale); (HW – Harvest of stored product from a facility authorized for wet storage for market sale); (IP - Importation); (O – Other (please describe in comments)); (R – Relay to facility licensed under the Management of Contaminated Fisheries Regulations); (RS – Relay of seed); (TS - Transfer); (W- Wet storage));
5. number of containers;
6. container type;
7. source of shellfish arriving at the licensed facility (source BC Land File number or DFO Facility Reference number, or other); water classification of source of shellfish arriving at the licensed facility; destination of shellfish leaving the licensed facility including:
   1. culture type at source facility (i.e. intertidal culture, deepwater suspended culture, subtidal culture or floating surface culture);
   2. destination facility BC Land File number or DFO Facility Reference number for transfers of product; or
   3. name of the facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission, if product is harvested for market sale.

15.4 Within fourteen days of the product being accepted by a facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission, the licence holder shall record:

1. date product accepted by a facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission (must be completed even if product wet stored at another licensed aquaculture facility that is approved for wet storage); and
2. total weight, OR number of dozens, OR number of individuals of harvested product accepted by a facility licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the appropriate shellfish processing permission. The unit of measure reported must match what is reported in the Annual Aquaculture Statistical Report.