Prior to EU exit, the Shellfish Stakeholder Working Group, chaired by the Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB), commissioned a study from Seafish into official controls on shellfish to inform discussion about differences in the way the classification process is implemented in other countries and potential changes in England. This work has been expedited in the light of EU Exit impacts. The FSA has looked at the classification system to determine what improvements can be made to procedures within the existing legal framework, while ensuring that the current high level of public health protection is maintained. This work has been informed by the Seafish report on official controls on shellfish and SAGB’s recommendations. The FSA have concluded that there is potential scope for change to ensure classifications are awarded in ways that are proportionate and pragmatic, while ensuring that the shellfish classification process in England and Wales provides appropriate levels of public health protection. The FSA and Defra are working together to engage with SAGB and other stakeholders on this process to inform priorities. This process has identified changes that are workable within the existing legal framework, namely reviewing sampling protocols and adapting sampling plans to harvesting periods; and approaches for investigating anomalous results. Fourth Special Report of Session 2021–22 11 As a first step, the protocols that provide the framework for delivery of shellfish controls will be updated to include two additional criteria for consideration of anomalous results from Class A harvesting areas. These changes will be implemented with effect from this year’s annual review of classifications, applicable from September 2021 in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland from January 2022. This timing will allow the additional criteria to be applied to historical anomalous results in the 3-year dataset. Further details are set out in the Annex to the report to the FSA Board.2 health protection. However, a critical requirement for improvements in the classification status of harvesting areas is improvements in water quality. Changes in protocols are not expected to lead to major changes in classifications awarded for shellfish harvesting areas in England and Wales until water quality improves. As part of the river basin planning process, the Environment Agency develops Shellfish Water Action Plans for every designated shellfish water in England (areas designated by Defra, where it is necessary or desirable in order to protect or develop economically significant shellfish production). The plans summarise the Environment Agency’s knowledge of a shellfish water and the actions needed by each responsible sector (mainly the water industry and agriculture) to maintain or improve its microbial water quality. The EA assesses each shellfish water to identify those at risk of deterioration, or which do not consistently comply with the shellfish microbial (E.coli) standard, and the reason for deterioration or not achieving the microbial standard. The EA then develops a programme of measures and investigations to improve microbial water quality, which are taken forward by working with water companies and the agricultural sector in the relevant catchment. The environmental shellfish standards are different to the food hygiene standards, which place controls on marketing of shellfish according to the typical quality of shellfish grown in production areas (Class A, B, C), but they are all measures of the microbial contamination of shellfish flesh, as shown by the amount of the faecal indicator organism, E.coli, present. As such, actions to improve compliance with environmental shellfish water quality standards, will also affect food hygiene classification.