A popular shellfish harvesting area in Western Washington is now off limits because of a potentially deadly marine toxin.
State officials have issued an emergency closure for Hood Canal and portions of Admiralty Inlet after testing found elevated levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). The toxin can cause serious illness and, in rare cases, death.
“Consuming shellfish from areas with high PSP toxins is very dangerous; biotoxins cannot be destroyed by cooking, freezing, or cleaning shellfish,” the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) stated. “Biotoxins can only be detected by laboratory testing; beach visitors cannot tell if shellfish are safe just by looking at them. PSP is a naturally occurring marine toxin produced by a species of algae.”
Specifically, all public beaches within Admiralty Inlet, south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point, and all public beaches within Hood Canal are closed to all clam, mussel, oyster, and scallop (and other mollusk) harvesting until further notice.
Officials are urging people not to harvest or eat shellfish from affected areas.
The Washington Department of Health (DOH) worked alongside WDFW to close the areas to harvesting.
“This weekend’s combination of warm temperatures, sunny weather, and low tides could be a draw for people visiting Hood Canal and other Puget Sound beaches,” Chris Eardley, the WDFW Puget Sound shellfish policy coordinator, said. “This closure is focused on urgently protecting public health and safety, given the extraordinarily high and dangerous levels of shellfish biotoxins specifically in Hood Canal and southern Admiralty Inlet.”
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