Shellfish harvesting

Shellfish registration documents

Shellfish registration documents are required to accompany shellfish live bivalve molluscs (eg oysters & mussels), including pectinidae (scallops) and non-filter feeding gastropods (eg whelks & cockles) and echinoderms (eg starfish, sea urchins, & sea cucumbers) gathered from the production area to and between establishments, up to and including arrival of the batch at a relaying area, purification centre, dispatch centre or processing establishment.

This is a legal requirement and part of the requirements of assimilated EC Regulations 853/2004, Annex III, Section VII which was previously adopted from the The Food Safety (Fishery Products and Live Shellfish) (Hygiene) Regulations 1998, known as a movement document.

Please read the requirements for registration documents for the harvesting of live bivalve molluscs:

Shellfish registration document policy (223KB)

Request shellfish registration forms :

after clicking the link (below) you will need to register in order to submit a request.
please register with your name and home address, including those that are addressed out of the area.
once registered please click on 'Requests' - then 'Submit a request complaint'
select 'Requests for registration documents - Live bivalve molluscs and live shellfish'
under ‘This request relates to’ please select ‘Another address’ and then enter the company name and address via either searching the postcode or manually entering

Request shellfish registration forms

Please contact our department for more information on the following:

Express agreement for agents
Permanent transport authorisation for gatherers that operates a purification centre, relaying area or processing plant which is located within the Adur and Worthing area

Make a food hygiene enquiry:

After clicking the link below you will need to register in order to submit your enquiry
Once registered please click on 'Requests' - then select 'Food hygiene enquiry'

Make a food hygiene enquiry

Back to top

Shellfish harvesting prohibitions

There are restrictions on the harvesting of shellfish such as:

shellfish closed seasons,
shellfish that can only be gathered from classified beds (such as oysters; there are no classified beds in Adur & Worthing, therefore prohibited),
Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority byelaws - on the Sussex IFCA website
the Adur Estuary Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) (from Cuckoo Corner to the Shoreham footbridge, The Adur Ferry Bridge, in the centre of Shoreham-by-Sea) - for a map see:
Friends of Adur SSSI website
and private land (consent required and within the above criteria)

Back to top

Hand gathering of shellfish

A permit may be required for harvesting animals and plants from the shoreline. For more information on the quantity permitted to harvest and if a permit is required, see:

Hand Gathering (Restrictions and Permitting) Byelaw 2021 factsheet - on the Sussex IFCA website

Personal consumption of shellfish

Live bivalve molluscs that are collected for personal consumption (maximum catch 5kg per person, per day) does not require a shellfish registration document.

However, it is not safe to eat shellfish, especially bivalves (mussels, oysters, clams, razor, etc.) that you have collected from the seashore as they are likely to be unfit for human consumption due to high levels of contaminants in the water, such as the bacterium E. coli, leading to possible serious illness if consumed.

The bivalves bought in the shops are supplied from areas that are strictly controlled and must meet food safety legislation. This ensures that the shellfish are free from contamination and that the bivalves have been depurated if required before they are sold.

Back to top

Illegal shellfish gathering on the River Adur and Shoreham Beach

Reports have been received of people in large groups collecting:

cockles and mussels from the River Adur in the Norfolk Bridge area
oysters and mussels from Shoreham Beach near the Old Fort car park

The public are warned that shellfish gathered from these areas are likely to be unfit for human consumption due to high levels of contaminants in the water, such as the bacterium E. coli, leading to possible serious illness if consumed.

The Adur Estuary area is not classified under food safety regulations to permit the harvesting of shellfish and it is an offence to remove any shellfish for the purpose of commercial supply or sale.

The area is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and fauna and flora should not be disturbed. For more information about the Adur Estuary SSSI, and a map, see:

Friends of Adur SSSI website

If any person has information that contaminated shellfish harvested from the River Adur or Shoreham Beach is being sold to commercial businesses and entering the food chain, and can provide details of persons seen removing shellfish from this area (the individuals should not be approached), please report this to us using the form below.

Submit a request complaint:

After clicking the link below you will need to register in order to submit your complaint.
Once registered please click on 'Requests' - then select 'Food hygiene complaint or enquiry'

When reporting non-compliance, please include the following information:

who is conducting the activity?
what activity is occurring?
when is the activity occurring?
where is the activity taking place?
how are they carrying out the activity?

Submit a request complaint:

In addition, you may contact:

Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority regarding reports of illegal gathering and suspicious fishing activity - on the Sussex IFCA website
Sussex Police, Rural PCSO for Adur, Worthing and Horsham Districts for any fraudulent activity to contact tel: 101

Back to top

Classification of beds

Currently there are no classified beds for bivalve molluscs in the Adur and Worthing area.

Please contact our department if you are intending to gather live bivalve molluscs and require a classification of harvesting area. Please note that marine gastropods harvested from the seabed do not require classification, nor do fishery products.

For more information, please see:

Submit a food safety enquiry:

After clicking the link below you will need to register in order to submit your complaint.
Once registered please click on 'Requests' - then select 'Food hygiene complaint or enquiry'

Submit a food safety enquiry

Back to top