Shellfish are clear to harvest in SLO County again — except for one quarantine
Warnings from the California Department of Public Health that advised against eating San Luis Obispo County bivalve shellfish were lifted as of Tuesday afternoon.
According to a news release from the state Department of Public Health, the Aug. 29 shellfish safety notification that advised the public to avoid eating sport-harvested bivalves was lifted Tuesday, when state testing showed paralytic shellfish toxins have decreased to safe levels in mussels found across San Luis Obispo County.
While the safety notification for mussels has been lifted, the annual mussel quarantine along the California coast is still in effect until at least Oct. 31, which prohibits sport-harvesting mussels for human consumption, according to the release.
Scallops, clams and oysters, however, can be harvested from San Luis Obispo County’s shores.
The shellfish safety notification does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from approved sources, which are subject to frequent mandatory testing for toxins, according to the release.
These toxins, which are naturally occurring and can cause illness or death in humans, affect the human nervous system and produce a tingling around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours, according to the release.
Early symptoms are usually followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing, and in severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur, according to the release.
For more information on ongoing shellfish advisories and quarantines, call the Department of Public Health’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at 800-553-4133 or check the state’s recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map.
