PORT TOWNSEND — A state closure to shellfish harvesting of all beaches south of the Hood Canal that was announced Thursday applies only to recreational harvesting, not commercially harvested shellfish, a state Department of Health official said today.
Jessie DeLoach, manager for licensing and certification in Office of Shellfish and Water Protection for the state Department of Health, corrected his previous statement of Thursday that the closure caused by bacterial illness from vibrio parahaemolyticus in oysters applies to commercial harvesters, when it only applies to recreationally harvested shellfish.
“I misunderstood the difference between recreational and commercial,” DeLoach said.
That means that oysters and other shellfish grown commercially are safe to eat.
Indeed, a commercial closure has taken effect in Hood Canal District 5, south of the Hamma Hamma River delta.
But the new closure north of the Hamma Hamma to Hood Canal Bridge only affects the recreational harvest of shellfish.
“That’s the confusion. Bear with us, we’re in the midst of all of this, too,” DeLoach said.
EARLIER STORY:
PORT TOWNSEND – State health officials closed much of Jefferson County’s Hood Canal shoreline to recreational shellfish harvesting on Thursday because of recent cases of bacterial illness from eating oysters.
State Department of Health officials, concerned about five cases of vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria poisoning in Hoodsport reported on Aug. 17, closed all recreational shellfish harvesting south of the Hood Canal Bridge.
The order does not include commercial harvesting, a state official confirmed Friday, contradicting information announced Thursday.
The health advisory and closure covers all shellfish species as a precaution, although the vibrio was found only in oysters, said Jessie DeLoach, manager for licensing and certification in Office of Shellfish and Water Protection.
In Jefferson County, the closure affects Dabob and Quilcene bays.
The vibrio closure does not apply to any beaches in Clallam County, health officials said, although Strait of Juan De Fuca waters between Neah Bay and Diamond Point have been closed for most of the past three months because of paralytic shellfish poisoning, or red tide, a biotoxin.
Recreational shellfish harvest beaches affected are Triton Cove State Park and tidelands, Duckabush River tidelands, Dosewallips State Park, Quilcene Bay tidelands, Broad Spit tidelands, Toandos Peninsula State Park, Point Whitney tidelands, Seal Rock U.S. Forest Service campground and Hicks County Park on Squamish Harbor.
“If they have already harvested shellfish off any area, the safe thing is to discard it,” said Frank Cox, biotoxins coordinators with the state health department.
He said that oysters should be cooked at 145 degrees for 10 minutes to kill vibrio bacteria.
Beaches normally reopen after vibrio subsides, usually when waters cool below 59 degrees in late September.
In Jefferson County, beaches without health closures and still open for recreational harvest are Oak Bay and Indian Island.
Beaches closed in Jefferson County because of PSP or pollution are Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Mats Mats Bay to Port Ludlow and Paradise Bay to Shine tidelands.
