The Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (No.7) Order 1991

Made: 2nd August 1991

Laid before Parliament: 5th August 1991

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(1)

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 1(1) and (2) and section 24(1) and (3) of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985[^f00001], and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, being of the opinion that there exist or may exist circumstances which are likely to create a hazard to human health through human consumption of food and that in consequence food which is derived or may be in the future derived from bivalve molluscs in the area described in the following Order, is, or may be, or may become, unsuitable for human consumption, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (No. 7) Order 1991 and shall come into force at 17.00 hours on 2nd August 1991.

• (2) In this Order “bivalve mollusc” means bivalve molluscs of the class of lamellabranchia, and “relevant time” means one minute past midnight on 2nd August 1991.

Designated circumstances

2

In the opinion of the Secretary of State, bivalve molluscs in the area designated in article 3 below may be affected by the toxin which causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning in human beings and are likely to create a hazard to human health if they are consumed.

Designated area

3

The area described in the Schedule to this Order is hereby designated for the purposes of Part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

Activity prohibited in the designated area

4

No person shall fish for or take any bivalve molluscs in the designated area.

Prohibited movement of bivalve molluscs

5

No person shall move any bivalve molluscs out of the designated area.

Restrictions throughout the United Kingdom

6

No person shall in the United Kingdom or in United Kingdom waters

• (a) use any bivalve molluscs taken out of the designated area after the relevant time in the preparation or processing for supply of food and anything from which food could be derived,

• (b) land any bivalve molluscs which were in waters in the designated area after the relevant time,

• (c) supply, or have in possession for supply, any bivalve molluscs which were in the designated area after the relevant time,

• (d) supply, or have in possession for supply, any food or anything from which food could be derived in the preparation or processing of which anything was used in contravention of sub-paragraph (a) of this article,

• (e) feed to any creature a feeding stuff in the preparation or processing of which anything was used in contravention of sub-paragraph (a) of this article.

Revocation

7

The Food (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (No.6) Order 1991[^f00002] is hereby revoked.

SCHEDULE — AREA TO WHICH PROHIBITIONS STILL APPLY

That area of the sea enclosed by a straight line extending in a north easterly direction from Mull Head at 58° 58.4'N latitude and 2° 42.7'W longitude on Deerness peninsula of the mainland of Orkney to Lamb head at 59° 4.6'N latitude and 2° 32'W longitude on the Island of Stronsay; then in a northerly direction to Burgh head at 59° 5.6'N latitude and 2° 31.4'W longitude on the Island of Stronsay; then in a northerly direction to Tres Ness at 59° 13.4'N latitude and 2° 30.4'W longitude on the Island of Sanday and then along the line of the mean high water springs around the southern and western coasts of the Island of Sanday to the Ness of Brough at 59° 16'N latitude and 2° 36.5'W longitude then in a north westerly direction to Mull Head at 59° 23.2'N latitude and 2° 52.7'W longitude on the Island of Papa Westray; then in a south westerly direction to Noup Head lighthouse at 59° 19.9'N latitude and 3° 4.1'W longitude on the Island of Westray; then in a southerly direction to Sacquoy Head at 59° 11.95'N latitude and 3° 4.3'W longitude on the Island of Rousay; then in an easterly and southerly direction along the line of the mean high water springs along the northern and eastern shores of the Islands of Rousay to the Point of Avelshay at 59° 8.2'N latitude and 2° 57.8'W longitude; then in a westerly direction along the line of the mean high water springs on the southern shore of the island of Rousay to Point of Corse at 59° 8.2'N latitude and 3° 4'W longitude, then in a southerly direction to Aiker Ness at 59° 7.45'N latitude and 3° 4.4'W longitude on the Mainland of Orkney then in a generally easterly direction along the line of the mean high water springs on the northern shore of the Mainland of Orkney to the point of beginning at Mull Head.

Signed

E. C . Davison — Assistant Secretary, Scottish Office — 2nd August 1991

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order contains emergency prohibitions restricting various activities in order to prevent human consumption of food rendered unsuitable for that purpose by virtue of shellfish having been affected by the toxin which causes paralytic shellfish poisoning in human beings.

The emergency prohibitions imposed by the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (No. 6) Order 1991 require to be imposed on a larger area of the sea within the Orkney Islands. Accordingly, the area of sea already designated in the Schedule to that Order requires to be extended. This Order redesignates the area within which fishing for, or taking bivalve molluscs is prohibited (articles 3 and 4 and the Schedule). It prohibits the movement of bivalve molluscs out of that area (article 5). Other restrictions are imposed throughout the United Kingdom in relation to the use of any bivalve molluscs taken from that area.

This order re-enacts the emergency prohibitions which are imposed on the area described in the Schedule to this Order. This Order revokes the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (No.6) Order 1991.

Under section 21 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 the penalty for contravening an emergency prohibition is–

• (a) on summary conv fiiction, a fine of an amount not exceeding the statutory maximum (at present £2,000);

• (b) on conviction on indictment, an unlimited fine, or imprisonment for a term of not more than two years, or both.

Powers of enforcement in relation to emergency prohibitions are conferred by section 4 of, and Schedule 2 to, the 1985 Act. Obstruction of enforcement officers is an offence under paragraph 10 of that Schedule.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1985 c. 48; section 1 was amended by section 51 of the Food Safety Act 1990 (c. 16), and section 24(1) was amended by paragraph 29 of Schedule 3 to that Act; section 1(2) defines “designating authority” and section 24(1) defines “the Ministers”.

[^f00002]: S.I. 1991/1681.