This paper presents the French national system for monitoring three groups of marine biotoxins regulated in shellfish, implemented firstly in marine production areas by the REPHY REPHYTOX network of IFREMER and secondly at distribution level through the network of laboratories accredited by the Directorate General for Food within the framework of official controls. The European regulations, the nature of the shellfish toxins, and analytical methods used are presented. The sampling procedures and strategy, as well as the results obtained by each of the two systems mentioned, are presented and discussed.
REMI has been managed by Ifremer for 20 years, in order to monitor and assess the microbiological quality of the shellfish growing areas. Recent EU regulation allows for evolution of the monitoring, with the development of sanitary surveys prior to classification of the area. The sampling strategy is based on the knowledge of the sources of faecal contamination, their characteristics and their behaviour (seasonal variations, circulation of pollutants...). The threshold fixed by Regulation EC n°854/2004 has changed, no tolerance for A and C class is permitted under the current regulation. The quality of 238 areas (on 299) classified in 2009 was determined (exceptional unfavorable results were not taken into account and should be removed) : 4 areas were of A...
