Title
Risk Assessment of Shellfish Consumption in Coastal Communities in British Columbia (AKA Shellfish Safety Project) Year 1 and 2 Final Report
Fiscal Year
2006-2007
Community/Region
Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, British Columbia
Principal Investigator
Dr. Laurie Chan (University of Northern British Columbia) and Karen Fediuk
Community Project Lead
Tim Kulchyski
Project Members
Penelakut First Nations (Robert Sam, Councilor), Cowichan Tribes (Guudaniia La Boucan, Fisheries Biologist, Larry George, Fisheries Manager), the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group (Al Anderson) and Mia Parker (Shellfish Biologist)

Project Summary
Traditional foods such as shellfish remain a central component of the lifestyle of First Nations communities in British Columbia. However, many of its members have expressed their concern about the possible presence of environmental contaminants in shellfish.
This study represented the second phase of a project, which initially began in the prior year. The overall goal of the project was to provide recommendations to First Nations communities regarding the safe consumption of shellfish and identify suitable, accessible areas for safe shellfish harvesting. A dietary survey was conducted to gather baseline information on community consumption rates of eight species of shellfish (oysters, butter clams, manila clams, littleneck clams, cockles, horse clams, mussels, crab) and of organ meat (kidney and liver) over the past year. Samples of shellfish were then collected and analysed for cadmium, paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), PCBs and organochlorines. Water quality was also assessed.
Based on the results of both phases of the study, organochlorine pesticides and PCB congeners were found to be below their detection limits and biotoxin levels were also considered low. None of the species of shellfish, except for oysters, were found to contain cadmium levels of concern to human health. For oysters, the study investigators indicated that community members can continue to consume oysters in reasonable quantities (4-5 oysters weekly or 200 oysters per year) without posing a health risk from cadmium exposure. The investigators concluded that shellfish consumption should continue to be encouraged because of its significant nutritional benefits.