Shellfish Sanitation Program Guidelines issued in 1965 and revised in 
1986. The maximum permissable fecal coliform bacteria levels are: 
1. 230 organisms per 100 g of shellfish tissue, and 
2. A median of 14 organisms per 100 ml, with not more than 10 
percent of the samples exceeding 43 per 100 ml, in the water. 
The DSHS sampling of commercial shellfish beds has been done in 
accordance with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Guidelines. 
This sampling has been fairly infrequent and irregular in its coverage of 
shellfish growing areas. However, these guidelines have recently been 
revised and will require at least yearly sampling in "approved" areas 
(approved for commercial harvest, bacterial standards are met) and 
monthly sampling in "conditionally approved" areas (areas which are 
impacted by predictable pollution events such as sewage treatment plant 
failure or rainfall of a certain magnitude). Additional DSHS 
classifications for shellfish growing areas include "decertified" (areas 
that have once been approved for production and subsequently found to be 
contaminated) and "uncertifiable" (where commercial production has not 
previously occurred, but where certification would not be feasible due to 
the existence of numerous sources of pollution). DSHS does no routine 
monitoring, classifying, or posting of recreational shellfishing areas. 
DSHS (with funding from Region 10 of the Environmental Protection 
Agency) is presently sampling and evaluating bacterial and toxic chemical 
contamination of clams at 25 recreational beaches throughout Puget 
Sound. This one-year study will be completed in 1987 and is the most 
extensive recreational shellfish survey ever initiated in Puget Sound. 
The DSHS shellfish program also includes patrolling areas which are 
closed to commercial shellfishing, conducting marketplace bacterial 
surveys, and managing a PSP monitoring program. As part of the PSP 
monitoring program, local health jurisdictions collect samples from 
recreational beaches, and the commercial shellfish industry is required 
to submit samples from commercial growing areas. DSHS conducts the PSP 
tests for all samples which are submitted by the county health 
departments and the shellfish industry. 
Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) 
Ecology, as the state water quality agency, has 
to maintain and/or restore adequate water quality to 
the responsibi1ity 
protect shellfish 
59 
