Shellfish Processing Facility Certification

All shellfish offered for commercial or retail sale must be processed at a certified shellfish processing facility. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is responsible for inspecting and certifying all shellfish processing facilities in Florida.

A business is required to become a certified shellfish processing facility if it meets at least one of the following requirements:

Receives shellfish product (wild or aquaculture) directly from a harvester.
Sells shellfish products across state lines or to another certified shellfish processing facility.
Intends to conduct any shellfish processing activities, including but not limited to:
- Removing the previous certified shellfish processing facility tag and retagging the shellstock.
- Breaking down shellstock or shucked shellfish containers into smaller units and tagging.
- Post-harvest processing, such as Instant Quick Freeze or pasteurization.

Requirements for Certified Shellfish Processing Facilities

Buildings

Buildings and structures must:

Be suitable in size and design to facilitate sanitary operations for food processing.
Have sufficient space for the placement of equipment, storage of materials, and food processing activities.
Be constructed so that floors, walls and ceilings may be kept clean to prevent contamination of food, food-packaging materials and food contact surfaces.
Provide adequate lighting and ventilation.
Have a sufficient, sanitary water supply and proper wastewater/sewage treatment system.
Provide employees with sanitary and accessible toilet facilities.
Provide employees with easily accessible hand-washing facilities with hot running water (≥100°F).

Equipment

All equipment must be constructed so that it is smooth and easy to clean to prevent the contamination of food.

Food contact surfaces must be corrosion-resistant, made of nontoxic materials, and designed to withstand the processing environment.

Refrigeration/Cooling

Shellfish acquired from a harvester must be received and placed under refrigeration at 45°F or less by specific times. These times vary based on the type of shellfish harvested, month of harvest, and the cooling option used.

Shellfish received from another certified shellfish processing facility must be prechilled, shipped under refrigeration, and have accompanying documentation of the time and shellfish product temperature at shipment.

Once shellfish are received by a certified shellfish processing facility, they must be immediately placed under refrigeration at 45°F or less (unless under an approved tempering plan). Shellfish must remain under refrigeration except when necessary, during periods in processing; they are not permitted to be out of refrigeration for more than a combined two hours at any point during processing.

Review the refrigeration requirements [ 221.7 kB ] for more information.

Tagging

Shellfish must always be properly tagged. A certified shellfish processing facility tag must be affixed to each container of shellfish before it is offered for sale; the certified shellfish processing facility tag will replace the shellfish harvester tag on each container.

The certified shellfish processing facility tag must be a minimum size of 2⅝ inches by 5¼ inches with legible, waterproof and indelible information arranged in the following order:

Facility name, address and shellfish processing facility certification number;
Wholesale Dealers License (WDL) number (for wild harvested product) or Aquaculture Certificate of Registration number (for aquaculture product);
The statement “KEEP REFRIGERATED” printed on the tag;
Original shipper’s shellfish processing facility certification number (if applicable);
Harvest date;
Harvest area;
Type of shellfish;
Quantity of shellfish;
Sell-by date (only required for oysters);
Consumer Advisory Statement (usually printed on the back of the tag): “Consumer information: there is a risk associated with consuming raw shellfish. If you have chronic illness of the liver, stomach or blood or have immune disorders, you are at greater risk of serious illness from raw shellfish and should eat shellfish fully cooked. If unsure of your risk, consult a physician.” and
The statement "THIS TAG IS REQUIRED TO BE ATTACHED UNTIL CONTAINER IS EMPTY OR RETAGGED AND THEREAFTER KEPT ON FILE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER FOR 90 DAYS. RETAILERS: DATE WHEN LAST SHELLFISH FROM THIS CONTAINER WAS SOLD OR SERVED ______."

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan

A HACCP plan identifies food safety hazards at each step of processing, as well as necessary preventative controls. Every certified shellfish processing facility must establish and follow a HACCP plan, which must be reviewed annually. All certified shellfish processing facility are required to have at least one HACCP-trained employee on staff. FDACS staff is available to help with plan development.

Sanitation Requirements

All certified shellfish processing facilities must establish a sanitation monitoring routine and keep a record of sanitation monitoring.

Sanitation monitoring activities must include:

Monitoring the safety of water for processing;
Monitoring the condition and cleanliness of food contact surfaces;
Preventing cross-contamination;
Maintaining hand washing, hand-sanitizing and toilet facilities;
Protecting shellfish from adulterants;
Properly labeling, storing and using toxic compounds;
Ensuring that employees with adverse health conditions do not come into contact with the shellfish or food contact surfaces; and
Excluding pests.

Monthly Production Reporting

All certified shellfish processing facilities that receive shellfish directly from harvesters (wild or farmed) are required to submit a Monthly Certified Shellfish Processing Facility Production Report summarizing the quantity of shellfish harvested from Florida, pursuant to Rule 5L-1.013(14), Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

Monthly Certified Shellfish Processing Facility Production Reports are due each month, even if no product is received or processed, and must include the quantity in count or pounds of oysters and clams received directly from harvesters.

Note: Aquaculture and wild product must be reported separately.

Submit Your Monthly Production Report

Classification

Each certified shellfish processing facility is classified as a shellstock shipper or shucker-packer. The classification determines which processing activities a certified facility is authorized to conduct.

Shellstock Shipper (SS)

A shellstock shipper is a certified shellfish processing facility that buys, repackages or sells shellstock. A shellstock shipper facility is not authorized to shuck shellfish nor to repack shucked shellfish but may buy and sell sealed containers of shucked shellfish.

Shucker-Packer (SP)

A shucker-packer is a certified shellfish processing facility that shucks and packs shellfish. A shucker-packer may act as a shellstock shipper or a repacker of shucked shellfish products.

Inspections

Certified shellfish processing facilities are routinely inspected by FDACS staff to ensure compliance and consumer safety. FDACS staff inspect the facility for compliance with Rule 5L-1, F.A.C., including but not limited to the condition of the following:

Plants and grounds;
Utilities;
Plumbing and related facilities;
Disposal of waste;
Equipment condition;
Cleaning, maintenance and construction of non-food contact surfaces;
Shellfish storage and handling;
Post-Harvest Processing, including shucking and heatshock, if applicable;
Supervision;
Transportation;
Labeling and tagging; and
Shipping documents and records/written recall procedures.

How to Apply for Shellfish Processing Facility Certification

To apply for Shellfish Processing Facility Certification, complete the following steps:

Obtain a Saltwater Wholesale Dealers License or an Aquaculture Certificate of Registration.
Review the Application Process Guide: Shellfish Processing Facility Certification. [ 392.2 kB ]
Complete the Shellfish Processing Facility Certification Application [ Adobe PDF Document ].
Submit the completed application to:

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Division of Aquaculture
600 South Calhoun Street, Suite. 217
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Aqua_PPCIP@FDACS.gov

Note: There is currently no fee for shellfish processing facility certification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Select a question to expand the answer.

What are shellfish?

The FDACS Division of Aquaculture regulates the processing of all edible species of oysters, clams, mussels, and whole or roe-on scallops either shucked or in the shell, fresh, or frozen intended to be sold raw for human consumption.

What is shellstock?

Shellstock is shellfish that remain in their shells.

What is considered processing of shellfish?

Processing is the handling, unloading, storing, transporting, shucking, freezing, preparing, changing into different market forms, manufacturing, preserving, packing or labeling of shellfish or shellfish products.

Do you need a license/permit to process shellfish?

Yes, to become a certified shellfish processing facility (e.g., shellstock shipper, shucker-packer, or repacker), you must meet the minimum requirements as described in Rule Chapter 5L-1, F.A.C.

What is a shellstock shipper allowed to do?

A shellstock shipper is a certified shellfish processing facility that may:

Receive shellfish from harvesters;
Repackage shellstock into smaller quantities;
Retag shellstock;
Purchase and sell sealed containers of shucked shellfish;
Sell shellfish products over state lines; and
Sell shellfish products to other certified shellfish processing facilities.

What is a shucker-packer allowed to do?

A shucker-packer is a certified shellfish processing facility that may conduct all of the activities listed above for a shellstock shipper and:

Shuck and pack shellfish into shucked meat containers and
Repack shucked shellfish meats into smaller containers (i.e., repacking).

What do you have to do to become a certified shellfish processing facility?

To become a shellfish processing facility (e.g., shellstock shipper, shucker-packer or repacker), you must:

Submit a Shellfish Processing Facility Certification License Application;
Obtain an Aquaculture Certificate of Registration or Saltwater Wholesale Dealers License;
Design and obtain certified shellfish processing facility tags;
Obtain required processing equipment;
Obtain water analysis;
Establish HACCP plan; and
Pass shellfish processing facility certification and inspection.

The minimum requirements are stated in Rule Chapter 5L-1, F.A.C.:

The certified shellfish processing facility comply with local zoning requirements.
The building must meet the minimum building codes/standards for structure integrity, plumbing and electrical and constructed to be vermin proof.
The building must have an approved water supply.
The building must have an acceptable wastewater/sewage disposal system.
The employees must have access to appropriate toilet facilities.
The floors and walls must be constructed so that they are easily cleanable.
Facilities must be provided for cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils.
Lighting must be adequate so those food workers can easily see to process food products and to clean equipment and utensils.
Ventilation must be adequate so that condensation doesn't form and drop onto food products.
Garbage and refuse must be stored so that it does not contaminate food or food contact surfaces. It must be stored so that it does not attract vermin or create an unsanitary nuisance. It must be removed from the premises frequently enough that there will be no buildup.
The premises must be maintained to prevent pooling of water on the property. Dust from driving and walking surfaces must be minimized. Grass and other vegetation must be mowed and maintained to prevent the harborage of rodents and other vermin.