17 



such as paralytic shellfish poisoning or PSP, domoic acid and vibrio 

 vulnificus. 



For instance, PSP is prevalent on the West Coast during the 

 summer months. Fortunately there are effective monitoring con- 

 trols for PSP. Even though many growing areas on the West Coast 

 are shut down completely during the summer, we recognize that 

 the closures are in the best interest of the industry because they 

 ensure the safety of our products. 



The Gulf Coast States and FDA are faced with a similar problem 

 in vibrio vulnificus, a warm water organism which can be highly 

 toxic to certain high risk individuals. The difference is that no ef- 

 fective monitoring method or risk standard has been established 

 for vulnificus. We are all aware of the unfortunate deaths that 

 have been associated with vulnificus through the consumption of 

 shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico. While these fatalities have had a 

 disastrous effect on the shellfish industry in the Gulf States, the 

 other shellfish-producing regions of the country have suffered as 

 well from the publicity and subsequent erosion of consumer confi- 

 dence in the safety of all shellfish. 



Clearly vibrio vulnificus and other biotoxins pose the greatest 

 health risks associated with shellfish at this point in time. Every 

 effort must be made to find a responsible solution to the problems 

 posed by vulnificus. The industry on all three coasts, not just the 

 Gulf of Mexico, cannot survive continued fatalities associated with 

 the consumption of oysters. 



Before I conclude, I would like to thank Representative Jolene 

 Unsoeld for introducing House bill 1412 establishing the National 

 Shellfish Safety Program. It is an excellent, comprehensive bill 

 that tackles head on the most pressing problems faced by the do- 

 mestic shellfish industry, including: Protection and restoration of 

 shellfish growing areas that have been impacted by pollution, re- 

 quirements that foreign producers meet the same water quality, 

 sanitation, and program requirements as the domestic industry; au- 

 thorizing Federal support to State shellfish control agencies to help 

 implernent Federal guidelines; and extending FDA's enforcement 

 authority to individual shellfish shippers. 



PCOGA has submitted extensive written comments specific to 

 H.R. 1412. We are wholly in support of the bill and urge the Sub- 

 committee's support as well. Thank you. I would be open to any 

 questions. Thank you. 



[The statement of Mr. Taylor can be found at the end of the 

 hearing.] 



Mr. Manton. Our last witness, Mr. Bill Morgan, President of the 

 Shellfish Institute of North America. 



STATEMENT OF BILL MORGAN 



Mr. Morgan. Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, my 

 name is Bill Morgan. I am the President of the Shellfish Institute 

 of North America. I greatly appreciate the opportunity you have 

 given me to testify in these hearings on House bill 1412, the Shell- 

 fish Safety Act of 1993. 



I represent the oldest trade association in the United States. We 

 also have the oldest inspection system in this country. Our Shell- 



