QUILCENE — Quilcene Bay has been closed to recreational shellfish harvesting after a high level of a potentially fatal biotoxin was found in a sample of blue mussels.
It’s the first time a Jefferson County area has been closed this year because of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin, although there are other closures and warnings in both Jefferson and Clallam counties.
Samples taken Monday from shellfish on the shores of Quilcene Bay were found to have 80 micrograms per 100 grams of tissue of fast-acting marine biotoxins that cause PSP, which can lead to paralysis or death, Michael Dawson of Jefferson County Environmental Health said Wednesday.
The closure limit is 80 micrograms per 100 grams of tissue.
The state Department of Health closed Quilcene Bay to all species of molluscan shellfish such as mussels, clams, oysters and scallops.
Shellfish harvested commercially are tested for toxin prior to distribution and should be safe to eat, Dawson said.
Warning signs have been posted at high-use beaches warning people not to consume shellfish from the area.
The closure does not apply to shrimp. Crab meat is not known to contain the biotoxin, but the guts can contain unsafe levels. To be safe, clean crab thoroughly and discard the guts (butter).
Symptoms of PSP can appear within minutes or hours and usually begin with tingling lips and tongue, moving to the hands and feet, followed by difficulty breathing and potentially death.
Anyone experiencing these symptoms is urged to contact a health care provider immediately. For extreme reactions, dial 9-1-1.
Elsewhere on the Peninsula, Sequim Bay remains closed to all species because of the risk of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), which can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and chills.
Beaches on the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Cape Flattery east to Dungeness Spit are open to shellfish harvesting except for butter and varnish clams, which retain toxins for up to a year.
Strait beaches from Dungeness Spit to the Jefferson County line are closed only to the harvest of varnish clams.
Although the state Department of Health in June reopened Kilisut Harbor, including Mystery Bay, and Port Ludlow, including Mats Mats Bay, to shellfish harvesting except for butter clams and varnish clams, Mystery Bay State Park is closed by state Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations to the recreational harvest of clams and oysters.
Mystery Bay State Park — the only public tideland in the area — is closed to shellfishing during the peak of boating season from May 1 to Sept. 30.
All areas are closed for the sport harvest of scallops. Ocean beaches are closed for the season to the harvest of all types of shellfish.
Marine biotoxins are not destroyed by cooking or freezing.
The state Department of Health has a map at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-shellfishsafety that provides current information about shellfish harvest closures.
A version for smartphones can be found on the site by clicking “Mobile Friendly Version.”
Recreational shellfish harvesters also can visit www.doh.wa.gov or phone 800-562-5632 before harvesting shellfish anywhere in the state.
Recreational shellfishers also should consult state Fish and Wildlife at www.wdfw.wa.gov.
