CDPH Warns Public Not to Consume Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish from San Diego County

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#1
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat sport-harvested mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters from San Diego County.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid, also referred to as amnesic shellfish poisoning, have been detected in mussels from this area. The naturally occurring domoic acid toxin can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin.

Symptoms of amnesic shellfish poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma, or death.

This warning does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

You can get the most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines by calling CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133 or viewing the recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring web page. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/SN25-004.aspx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
 
Last edited:

moonshine

Well-Known Member
#3
I hate to derail this entire post, but I recall a trip we took to Bodega Bay many years ago. My daughter was just a kid and we took her on our last family trip.
Bodega Bay was epic. We had a meal there. I had cioppino. They put a bib on me and it was epic.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#4
Years ago, I ate oysters in a reputable restaurant in Oxnard and got really sick.

I had to cancel my trip to watch Dallas Cowboys pre-season practice.

I reported it to the restaurant, and they cancelled the charges on my credit card.
 

moonshine

Well-Known Member
#5
That warns about sport harvested shellfish, but does that affect what we buy at the seafood department at the supermarket? This post makes me yearn for oyster shooters. The raw oysters are jarred but taste pretty fresh