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  1. Resources for You (Food)

Seafood

FDA is responsible for ensuring that the nation's seafood supply, both domestic and imported, is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled. This page provides access to content about seafood, including fish and shellfish, from across the Food section of FDA.gov. Grouped according to target audiences, these links include access to up-to-date consumer information and advice, guidance documents, regulation, and science and research content.

Spotlight

Consumers

Consumer Resources on Seafood

This section provides updates and information about seafood safety for consumers.

Industry

Seafood Industry Resources

This section provides information about seafood guidance, regulations imports and exports.

The term molluscan shellfish refers to bivalve molluscan shellfish (e.g. clams, oysters, mussels, scallops) that have a two-part hinged shell and filter the water they inhabit. When filtering water through their gills, they may also bioaccumulate bacteria, toxins, or other contaminants if they are present in the water column. This creates a potential risk for consumers who enjoy eating raw molluscan shellfish. Requirements of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) are intended to address the sanitary control of molluscan shellfish. The NSSP is a federal/state cooperative program with the primary goal of protecting public health by ensuring that only safe molluscan shellfish reach consumers. This section lists resources for stakeholders and supports the NSSP.

Videos & Recordings

Establishing a Regulatory Partnership Arrangement with the FDA

Establishing a Regulatory Partnership Arrangement with the FDA (Video)

A Regulatory Partnership Arrangement allows the FDA to work with foreign country regulators on food safety. There are five steps to creating these partnerships in order to maximize the safety of imported foods for U.S. consumers.

Lifecycle of a Shrimp

Lifecycle of a Shrimp (Video)

An animated video explaining the lifecycle of a shrimp from the early life stages of the shrimp to inspection, sampling, and assessment before crossing U.S. borders, to making its way to the consumer.

Scientists & Researchers

Seafood Information for Scientists and Researchers

This section provides information about research, methods, data, and other scientific content.

Additional Resources

How to Report Seafood-Related Toxin and Scombrotoxin Fish Poisoning Illnesses

To help the FDA effectively investigate, remove unsafe seafood products from the market, and develop new prevention strategies, the FDA relies on illness reporting from public health officials and healthcare providers. While most foodborne outbreaks are tracked through the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) network, seafood-related illnesses caused by natural toxins have a unique reporting mechanism. How to Report Seafood-Related Toxin and Scombrotoxin Fish Poisoning Illnesses provides information on commonly occurring seafood-related illnesses and how to report them to the FDA.  To report an illness from raw bivalve molluscan shellfish, email the FDA at shellfishepi@fda.hhs.gov.

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