Biotoxin levels in shellfish lead to new Whatcom County harvesting closures
The Washington State Department of Health has closed recreational harvest of molluscan shellfish in all of Whatcom County due to unsafe levels of a paralytic biotoxin. Molluscan shellfish include clams, mussels, oysters and scallops.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning biotoxin was detected in molluscan shellfish from Bellingham Bay to Drayton Harbor, according to the health department. The biotoxin can cause severe illness and even death, and is not destroyed by cooking or freezing.
Shellfish harvest on tidelands within Lummi Nation are not within the state’s jurisdiction and are closed to all non-Tribal visitors. As of Wednesday morning, Lummi Bay and Portage Bay are listed as safe for harvesting of all species.
Biotoxin levels in molluscan shellfish across Whatcom County have previously led to closures on multiple beaches throughout July and August.
For the most up-to-date information on shellfish closures, check the Washington Shellfish Safety Map online or call the Biotoxin Hotline at 800-562-5632.