Oysters and other shellfish are the subject of Vibrio certification offered by Maine Department of Marine Resources. (Anna M. Drzewiecki photo)
The Maine Department of Marine Resources announced that an updated online Vibrio certification quiz will be posted for marine harvesters and primary dealers in Vibrio Control Areas on April 1.
Vibrio encompasses a group of naturally occurring bacteria that can cause severe illness in humans “including gastroenteritis and septicemia,” according DMR. The department notes that illnesses from Vibrio infections “are often associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood including bivalve shellfish.”
The department urged people not to take the old Vibrio quiz posted on its website, noting that it may still be accessible to some.
“DMR is revising the training materials for harvester and dealer Vibrio certifications. These materials will be posted on our website April 1. Do not worry about having the requirements completed that day as the regulation states,” the new statement reads.
The materials, including a training video and online quiz, were initially released on Feb. 1, long before the Vibrio season begins on June 1. If Vibrio bacteria are already present in harvested shellfish, the bacteria growth rates depend on temperature, with warm, sunny conditions leading to quicker proliferation. In response to increased awareness in 2012, DMR implemented time and temperature regulations for harvesters and began more outreach efforts to educate both harvesters and consumers.
Vibrio Control Areas include the Damariscotta River and the New Meadows River. Over 80% of all Maine oysters are grown on the Damariscotta River alone, earning it the name the “Napa Valley of Oysters.” Maine’s oldest operating oyster farms are located on tidal the river, too.
“All harvesters and certified shellfish dealers who take oysters and/or hard clams from the Damariscotta River and the New Meadows River or who purchase oysters and/or hard clams from harvesters that were taken from the Damariscotta River and the New Meadows River must complete the following training provided by the DMR annually,” reads a disclaimer at the beginning of the online quiz on the department’s website.
The department says they will accept completed materials between April 1 and “the start of the season or whenever you begin harvesting/purchasing.”
Harvesters and primary dealers will need to complete an online training, take an online quiz, and submit a new or renewed Vibrio Harvest or Vibrio Purchase plan.
If steps are completed properly, the announcement notes, harvesters and dealers will receive a Vibrio certification. Without proper licensing, the department does not offer Vibrio certifications.
The online quiz will be available April 1 on DMR’s website under Shellfish Sanitation and Management: Vibrio Education.
Questions on the training can be directed to dmrpublichealthdiv@maine.gov.
