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NEWSLETTER |
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Promoting awareness of the health risks associated with mollusc consumption
Many residents of the estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence are very fond of mollusc harvesting, a traditional activity practiced for generations. Harvesting practices that entail health risks have been observed, however. For this reason, over the past few weeks, the Baie des Chaleurs, Îles de la Madeleine and Rive Nord de l'Estuaire ZIP committees have been conducting public awareness campaigns on the issue, tailored to their regions and target audiences. The recreational harvesting of molluscan shellfish—such as soft-shell and hard-shell clams, mussels and whelks—is undoubtedly one of the most popular traditional pursuits practiced in the many communities along the St Lawrence. Harvesters not only consider these foods to be delicacies but see the activity as a chance to keep an age-old tradition alive. In addition, in regions with significant unemployment, harvesting is an essential source of extra income for commercial harvesters. Indeed, within the territories of the three ZIP committees (Chaleur Bay, the Magdalen Islands and the north shore of the estuary), several hundred people are regular s hellfish harvesters, while a variable number are casual or occasional gatherers (year-round and summer residents and tourists).
Good for your health… under certain conditions Molluscs are a valuable food resource as well as an excellent source of protein, phosphorous, iodine and vitamins. They are also relatively low in cholesterol.
Unfortunately, harvesters sometimes engage in behaviour that may entail some health risks. Despite closure orders posted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, some harvesters continue to harvest in areas that are closed due to the risk of microbial, chemical or toxic contamination. Possible reasons for this behaviour include an ignorance of the reasons for the closings and a lack of concern about the dangers linked to the consumption of contaminated shellfish.
"In our area, health problems in shellfish harvesting areas are linked mainly to the bacterial contamination of the water, " explains Isabelle Hubert, of the Îles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) ZIP Committee. "Most of this contamination can be attributed to sewage discharges from residences with substandard or malfunctioning septic systems and, to a lesser degree, to agricultural pollution." The same situation is found in Chaleur Bay and along the north shore of the estuary.
Status of shellfish harvesting areas in the territory of the Baie des Chaleurs, Îles de la Madeleine and Rive Nord de l'Estuaire ZIP committees (summer 1999)
A public awareness campaign tailored to regional needs and characteristics To counter the risky behaviour sometimes observed among mollusc harvesters, Health Canada and the Quebec Department of Health and Social Services suggested to the Baie des Chaleurs, Îles de la Madeleine and Rive Nord de l'Estuaire ZIP committees that they develop public awareness campaigns. (Health Canada and the Quebec Department of Health and Social Services are partners in the Human Health component of the St. Lawrence Vision 2000 Plan). As Christiane Gagné, communications officer at Health Canada, explains, the committees went on to establish their own action plans based on the means at their disposal, the characteristics of their region and the target audience for the campaign. Representatives of Health Canada and Quebec’s public health network then helped the committees to develop and validate the content of their plans. The campaigns of the three ZIP committees had a number of common themes, such as the types of contamination that can affect molluscan shellfish, the symptoms associated with the consumption of contaminated molluscs and the assessment procedure that leads to the closure of shellfish harvesting areas. In some cases, an attempt was also made to counter widely held misconceptions, such as the belief that cooking can eliminate chemicals and toxins responsible for contamination. For example, the Baie des Chaleurs ZIP Committee decided to produce several information spots for local radio stations to reach its target audience. It also installed 13 information panels along the access roads to the most heavily frequented harvesting areas. The Magdalen Islands committee, aside from with the above-mentioned measures, also had articles published in local newspapers and designed an information brochure. The brochure was distributed to islanders’ households and made available to tourists through the regional tourist board (Association touristique régionale). The Rive Nord de l'Estuaire ZIP Committee took a more direct approach. Representatives paid a visit to several harvesting areas to hand out brochures, memory joggers and fridge magnets to harvesters. The committee also organized information spots on local radio stations, had articles published in local newspapers, and held an information meeting to assist members of the regional tourist board in better informing tourists of the safety measures to be taken when harvesting or purchasing shellfish.
A substantial challenge to the public and economic health of riverside communities In June, Human Health component partners held a workshop on the health risks associated with molluscan shellfish consumption. The Baie des Chaleurs, Îles de la Madeleine and Rive Nord de l'Estuaire ZIP committees took the opportunity to present some of the conclusions and recommendations that emerged from their respective public awareness campaigns. For example, many people believed that they were poorly informed of the reasons authorities used to close shellfish harvesting areas. Some harvesters were even skeptical about the actual health risks involved in eating contaminated shellfish. "Harvesters often told us that they had seen their grandparents eating molluscs without experiencing any health problems," explains Rachel Racine of the Rive Nord de l'Estuaire ZIP Committee. According to Racine, harvesting practices are so deeply rooted that additional action is needed to improve people’s harvesting practices on a permanent basis.
Furthermore, representatives of the three ZIP committees stressed the importance of encouraging property owners with substandard septic systems to make the necessary improvements. This would allow shellfish harvesting zones closed due to bacterial contamination to be reopened. For example, Michel Chouinard, coordinator of the Baie des Chaleurs ZIP Committee, explained that, in his region, reopening closed harvesting areas could create a hundred or so jobs linked to commercial shellfish harvesting. Indeed, the prospect of economic development, including the possibility of mariculture, has led to the announcement of $2.2 million of investments in the region. This funding is earmarked to identify measures to eliminate the pollution sources that have led to the closure of 13 shellfish harvesting areas. Lastly, many harvesters are worried about the shortcomings in conservation measures for molluscan shellfish stocks and are interested in actively participating in the management of shellfish areas. Accordingly, ZIP committee representatives have proposed that the departments involved adopt a co-management approach for molluscan shellfish harvesting, to include both coastal communities and regional authorities. For more information, contact: Michel
Chouinard, coordinator Christiane
Gagné Isabelle
Hubert, biologist Jean-Marc
Leclerc Rachel
Racine |
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Baie des Chaleurs, Îles de la Madeleine and Rive Nord de l'Estuaire
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