06/23/2006: "Beaches Closed In SJC Due To Marine Biotoxin"

PS Beachs Closed for clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters, snails and other invertebrates.

the State Department of Health has closed all beachs in San Juan County due to concerns about PSP (Paralytic shellfish poison). The closures include all beachs throughout the Puget Sound area: San Juan County is currently closed for all shellfish species.

The Health Department recommends that all recreational shellfish harvesters always contact the PSP hotline at 1-800-562-5632 before digging/collecting shellfish.

Bear in mind that commercially harvested shellfish are sampled separately, and products on the market should be safe to eat.

The following background information is from the The state Department of Health:

Biotoxins in Shellfish

Blooms of many phytoplankton species are a normal seasonal occurrence in
Washington's inland marine waters. One dinoflagellate species, Alexandrium catenella, produces a toxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Shellfish filter the toxic algae out of the water while feeding and concentrate the toxin in their tissues. PSP toxin in shellfish is a serious threat to the health of shellfish consumers.

Washington State has monitored PSP in shellfish since the 1930s. Monitoring was greatly expanded by the late 1950s, and now shellfish are monitored at hundreds of sites throughout Puget Sound and on the coast. In 1990, the state Department of Health set up a Sentinel Monitoring Program to provide systematic early warning of harmful levels of biotoxins.

Paralytic shellfish poison

PSP is actually a family of related chemicals called saxitoxins that interfere with nerve function in warm-blooded animals. The primary symptoms of PSP are numbness and tingling of the lips, tongue, face and extremities; difficulty talking, breathing and swallowing; loss of muscular coordination; and paralysis. PSP can lead to death if it paralyzes the respiratory system. Symptoms develop quickly, usually within an hour or two after eating PSP contaminated shellfish. There is no known antidote.