Lethal levels of a marine toxin have prompted the closure of all Clallam County beaches to recreational shellfish harvesting on the eve of a license-free weekend.
High levels of paralytic shellfish poison, or PSP, have not been discovered in shellfish on East Jefferson County beaches. A warning has been issued for Whatcom County.
The level of PSP found approaches the amount measured in shellfish when three Lower Elwha Kallam tribal members died after eating poisoned butter clams and mussels in 1942 — the last time any deaths from the toxin were recorded in the state, said Greg Combs of the state Department of Health Office of Shellfish and Water Protection.
“It’s pretty bad compared to recent history” of the last 10 to 15 years, Combs said today.
“It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a bloom like this occur.”
Commercial beaches are sampled separately and commercial products should be safe to eat, the state health department said.
At the same time, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife is allowing fishing and harvesting without a license on Saturday and Sunday.
The license-free weekend is an annual promotion to encourage the buying of fishing and shellfish harvesting licenses the rest of the year, Combs said.
“That’s why when we started seeing these levels, we decided late [Thursday]. . . to go ahead with a press release as the best way to get information out to Clallam and Whatcom counties,” he said.
All Clallam County beaches are closed to the recreational harvesting of all species of shellfish — excluding crab — on the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Dungeness Spit to Cape Flattery.
Ocean beaches are closed for the season.
Toxic levels of PSP range from 1,543 micrograms per 100 grams of tissue at Seibert Creek off Dungeness to 3,438 micrograms at Freshwater Bay, 1,966 micrograms at Ediz Hook, 1,603 micrograms at Seiku and more than 3,600 micrograms at Second Beach, according to the most recent tests.
Recreational harvesting is closed when PSP levels reach 80 micrograms per 100 grams of shellfish tissue.
The level of toxin in shellfish when three people died in 1942 was 3,500 micrograms per 100 grams of tissue.
“We don’t have problems in Jefferson County,” Combs said, although continuing closures are in effect for butter clams at the entrance to Port Ludlow and between Marrowstone and Indian islands.
The closure includes clams, oysters, mussels, scallops and other species of mollusks.
Crabmeat is not known to contain the PSP toxin, but the guts can contain unsafe levels. To be safe, clean crab thoroughly and discard the guts.
More tests results are expected later today, but Combs doesn’t expect to see any change that would reopen any beaches.
“It takes a long time to cleanse from the tissue,” he said.
PSP, often referred to as red tide, is caused by an algae bloom. The toxin is not destroyed by cooking or freezing.
PSP poisoning causes tingly lips and tongue, symptoms that move to the hands and feet. The symptoms may begin within minutes of eating the shellfish.
In high doses, it can cause difficulty breathing, which can led to death.
A person cannot tell if the toxin is present by looking. PSP can be detected only by laboratory testing.
These health-related closures are in addition to closures regulated by Fish and Wildlife. The department’s emergency regulation hotline is 1-866-880-5431.
Recreational shellfish harvesters should phone 1-800-562-5632 or check www.doh.wa.gov/shellfishsafety.htm before harvesting shellfish anywhere in Washington state, the state health department said.
