Title, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Food Protection (EmergencyProhibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) Order 1991 and shall comeinto force at 18.00 hours on 22nd May 1991.

(2) In this Order"scallop" means shellfish of the species pecten maximus or chlamys operculata, and"relevant time" means one minute past midnight on 22nd May 1991.

Designated circumstances

2. In the opinion of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,scallops in the area designated in article 3 below may be affected bythe toxin which causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning in human beings andare 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 herebydesignated for the purposes of Part I of the Food and EnvironmentProtection Act 1985.

Activity prohibited in the designated area

4. No person shall fish for or take any scallops in the designated area.

Prohibited movement of scallops

5. No person shall move any scallops 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 scallops taken out of the designated area after the relevanttime in the preparation or processing for supply of food and anythingfrom which food could be derived,

(b)land any scallops taken from waters in the designated area after therelevant time,

(c)supply, or have in possession for supply, any scallops, or anyproduct derived from scallops, from which food could be derived if suchscallops were taken from the designated area after the relevant time,

(d)supply, or have in possession for supply, any food or anything fromwhich food could be derived in the preparation or processing of whichanything was used in contravention of paragraph (a) of this article,

(e)feed to any creature a feeding stuff in the preparation orprocessing of which anything was used in contravention of paragraph (a)of this article.

Article 3

SCHEDULETHE DESIGNATED AREA

That area in the North Sea bounded by a line drawn from the seaward limit of United Kingdom territorial waters along 55° 48.6'N latitude westward to the shore line at mean high water springs and from that point along that shoreline southward to 55° N latitude and from that point along 55° N latitude eastward to the limit of United Kingdom territorial waters and from that point along the limit of United Kingdom territorial waters northward to 55° 48.6'N latitude.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order contains emergency prohibitions restricting variousactivities in order to prevent human consumption of food likely to havebeen rendered unsuitable for that purpose by virtue of shellfish beingaffected by the toxin which causes paralytic shellfish poisoning inhuman beings.

The Order designates an area within which taking scallopsis prohibited (articles 3 and 4 and the Schedule). It prohibits themovement of scallops out of that area (article 5). Other restrictionsare imposed throughout the United Kingdom in relation to the use of anyscallops taken from that area (article 6).

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

(a)on summary conviction, a fine of an amount not exceeding thestatutory maximum (at present £2,000);

(b)on conviction on indictment, an unlimited fine, or imprisonment fora 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.