Bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS) harvest operators
BMS harvest operators must comply with requirements such as registration, vessel maintenance, labelling and harvest declarations under the Regulated Control Scheme (RCS).
Harvest operators remove BMS from a growing area and place it on or in a harvest vessel, vehicle or container for the purpose of wet storage, relay, retail, wholesale or processing.
If you're a harvest operator, you must:
- be registered with MPI
- ensure your harvest vessels and vehicles are listed with a unique identifier
- comply with the BMS RCS requirements for vessel or vehicle design, operation, maintenance and sewage disposal
- meet requirements for labelling and harvest declarations of your product described in the BMS RCS
- follow harvesting and transport time and temperature protocols
- ensure you have access to and follow the changes in status of growing areas.
You can find specific details of your responsibilities and requirements in the Animal Products (Specifications for BMS) Notice. The most important sections are:
- Part 11 – Harvesting BMS
- Part 17 – Health of personnel
- Part 13 – Transporting of BMS
Animal Products (Specifications for Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish) Notice [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Registering as a harvest operator
Harvest operators renew their registration with MPI every two years.
To register as a harvest operator, you need to complete a form and forward it to MPI. You must also include other documentation, including a verification report for each vessel or vehicle you use for harvesting BMS.
Contact details and charges associated with registration are listed on the form.
AP47: Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish Harvest Operator Registration [PDF, 698 KB]
AP47: Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish Harvest Operator Registration [DOC, 497 KB]
Register of harvest operators
Under the requirements of the BMS RCS, MPI keeps a list of registered commercial harvest operators and their vessels: