FDA threatens Maine shellfish ban
Federal officials have threatened a potentially devastating ban on the sale of Maine shellfish outside the state unless it adds staff at the Department of Marine Resources.
The Food and Drug Administration has said a minimum of four positions are needed to meet public health requirements, and that the state has not adequately evaluated pollution sources to ensure a safe harvest, the Bangor Daily News reported. But Maine budget overseers are trying to get by with three positions, according to Sen. Dennis Damon (D-Trenton), chair of the Marine Resources Committee. The FDA is not funding the jobs and fees will be needed to cover the three scientist positions that will cost $550,000 over the two-year budget, said Sen. Bill Diamond (D-Windham), the committee's co-chairman, the paper reported.
Shellfish is a roughly $50 million industry, with about 90% of that sold out of state, Damon said.
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