3. Depuration certificate. A person may not take shellfish from closed areas for depuration, processing and transportation without a depuration certificate. The commissioner may issue a depuration certificate to a wholesale seafood license holder that authorizes the holder to take shellfish from closed areas for depuration, processing and transportation. The certificate must establish limits on harvesting, depurating and processing methods and any other provisions required to assure ensure the public safety. The commissioner may permit depuration of shellfish not contaminated by paralytic shellfish poisoning if it is established that the water used during depuration will not contaminate the shellfish with paralytic shellfish poisoning. To ensure consistency with municipal shellfish conservation programs, established pursuant to section 6671, the commissioner must consult with a municipal shellfish conservation committee before taking action to open an area within that municipality for depuration digging. The commissioner may continue to issue controlled purification certificates for areas that were restricted to depuration digging on September 1, 1989, without consulting municipalities.

4. Rules. The commissioner may adopt or amend regulations rules concerning:

A. The procedures for issuing certificates and the required qualifications for each type of certificate;

B. The minimum sanitation standards for establishments and vehicles;

C. The sanitation and quality control standards for shellfish and whole scallops and their products;

D. The methods for taking, handling, shipping, transporting and processing of shellfish and whole scallops taken from closed areas;

E. The records and reports of takings, purchases, processing, sales, shipping and transporting of shellfish and whole scallops;