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FN0548-Bivalve Shellfish: Marine Biotoxins - Harvest Shellfish Safely - Reminder to Shellfish Harvesters - Risk of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP or Red Tide), Domoic Acid Poisoning (also referred to as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning or ASP) and Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP).
Fisheries and Oceans Canada reminds shellfish harvesters in British Columbia to check whether fishing areas are open and shellfish are safe to consume before harvesting them and to take extra precautions during warm weather. For an area to be open and safe for harvesting, both biotoxin and sanitary need to be open.Harvesters are encouraged to consult SHELLI, a real-time map of shellfish openings and closures of harvest areas, or contact your local fishery office http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CheckBeforeYouHarvest. On the SHELLI map, the green means approved; red means closed; no colour/light blue means unclassified (unmonitored and no harvesting should occur); and red hatching is for areas where harvesting of only some species of bivalve shellfish is closed.Harvesting closures can change daily so it is important to always check the mapping site SHELLI before harvesting.Consumers should be aware of some potential food safety issues associated with bivalve shellfish (i.e. clams, oysters, scallops, mussels, geoduck), and other molluscan shellfish (i.e. whelks and periwinkles).These animals are highly sensitive to the quality of their marine environment. Because they feed themselves by filtering microscopic organisms from the water, harmful bacteria, viruses and biotoxins from their surroundings can build up in their tissues and cause illness in people who consume them.Eating shellfish with high levels of certain toxins can lead to serious or potentially fatal illnesses such as: Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (commonly known as Red Tide), Domoic Acid or Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning and Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning. Cooking bivalve shellfish does not destroy the toxins. Cooked shellfish can still be toxic. Symptoms of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (also referred to as red tide) could begin within a few minutes and up to 10 hours after consumption. Symptoms of PSP can range from a tingling sensation or numbness around the lips, face and neck, to paralysis of respiratory muscles leading to death in extreme cases.Symptoms of Domoic Acid Poisoning (also referred to as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) usually occur 30 minutes to 6 hours after consumption. Symptoms of Domoic Acid Poisoning can include severe headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, confusion and disorientation and memory loss. In extreme cases, death can occur.Symptoms of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning usually occur 30 minutes to 6 hours after consumption, and can include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, abdominal cramps and chills.Anyone who feels ill after eating bivalve shellfish should immediately seek medical attention.Commercial:It is essential that bivalve shellfish harvested for commercial sale come from open and approved areas and are handled properly to minimize the risk of food borne illnesses. Only purchase shellfish from trusted retailers and restaurants who can confirm the source of shellfish, and that they were harvested from an open area. Shellfish should be iced, refrigerated or frozen after harvest or purchase, during transport and until they are ready to be eaten.Aboriginal Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC):Harvesters must comply with regulations related to shellfish harvesting, such as area closures. It is illegal to harvest shellfish from a closed area and it is recommended that FSC harvest take place in open and approved areas (green areas in SHELLI) to minimize the risk to those consuming the shellfish.Recreational:A BC tidal waters sport fishing licence is required to harvest shellfish for recreational purposes. Harvesters must comply with sport fishing regulations related to shellfish harvesting, such as area closures. It is illegal to harvest shellfish from a closed area and it is recommended that recreational harvest take place in open and approved areas (green areas in SHELLI) to minimize the risk to those consuming the shellfish. This notice is one of several that consumers must review prior to harvesting bivalve shellfish. DFO posts information regarding general biotoxin safety, and updates the coastwide list of openings and closures throughout the week based on recommendation from Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Detailed information on shellfish closures are updated in real-time and are available on the DFO mapping site SHELLI. Harvesting restrictions, species limits and maps for each subarea are available at https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/bc-zones-cb-eng.html. Local Fisheries and Oceans Canada offices: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/index-eng.html (call during regular business hours).For more information on marine toxins in bivalve shellfish, please see:https://inspection.canada.ca/food-safety-for-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/toxins-in-shellfish/eng/1332275144981/1332275222849 https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/food-poisoning/vibrio.htmlFor more information on Shellfish Closures, contact DFOPAC.CSSP-PCAMPAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0548
Sent June 12, 2024 at 1428
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