Western Australia Shellfish Quality Assurance program

The Western Australia Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (WASQAP) developed and managed by the WA Department of Health (DoH), supports the management of food safety risks in marine bivalves commercially harvested in WA. This objective is achieved through a range of management activities including harvest area classification, regular monitoring and compliance checks.

Filter feeding organisms, such as oysters and other bivalve molluscs, have the ability to bioaccumulate bacteria, viruses, toxins, heavy metals, chemicals and other harmful substances from the waters in which they grow. Shellfish or bivalve molluscs that have accumulated these substances present a risk to food safety if consumed.  

Key requirements relating to environmental and shellfish monitoring need to be met before bivalve molluscs harvested for human consumption can be sold.  

Bivalve molluscs in the program include: 

• edible oysters 
• cockles 
• clams 
• un-eviscerated scallops 
• un-eviscerated mussels.