Shellfish Safety: Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Closes Carr Inlet to Harvesting of All Shellfish

Tacoma-Pierce Health Department has announced the Department of Health has closed Carr Inlet to all harvesting of shellfish due to elevated levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning. PSP toxins were one of the reasons China banned the import of shellfish from the West Coast. PSP toxins cannot be made safe by cooking.

Information on recreational harvesting may be found on a new Department of Health interactive map on their Shellfish Safety Information website. To be automatically notified by TPHD when a food safety or health event occurs, you may register on their web site, found by clicking here.

Recreational Harvesting Information

(interactive map image from DOH website)

(click to enlarge)

 

Note: Commercial and recreational harvest alerts may be different. For example, DOH recommends all shellfish harvested recreationally from June to September be cooked thoroughly in order to avoid vibriosis. Commercial harvesters must stop harvesting all together when levels or illnesses in a growing area reach pre-determined levels.