PORT ANGELES — Clallam County beaches have been closed for recreational shellfish harvesting for all species due to high paralytic shellfish poison levels in samples sent to the state Department of Health.
All species includes clams, geoduck, oysters, mussels and other invertebrate species such as moon snail, according the Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services.
The closure affects recreational shellfish harvests in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, from Cape Flattery to the Jefferson County line, including Discovery Bay, Sequim Bay and coastal beaches.
Paralytic shellfish poison is a biotoxin released by the marine plankton Alexandrium. Shellfish eat the plankton and the biotoxin can accumulate in their meat.
Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning, which can appear within minutes or hours, include tingling of the lips, tongue, hands and feet, followed by difficulty breathing and paralysis.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning can be fatal. People experiencing those symptoms after consuming shellfish should call 911. The heat-stable toxin is not destroyed by cooking or freezing.
Butter and varnish clams retain the toxin for up to a year, and that’s why they often remain closed longer than other species.
Crabmeat does not retain the biotoxin, but it can be present in crab guts and butter, the white-yellow fat inside the back of the shell, so they should be thoroughly cleaned, and the crab butter and guts should be discarded.
For more information, call the Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632 or visit www.doh.wa.gov/shellfish safety.htm.
