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Thread: Annual Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels Begins May 1

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Default Annual Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels Begins May 1

    SACRAMENTO -- The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced the annual quarantine of sport-harvested mussels gathered along the California coast. The quarantine begins May 1 and applies to all species of mussels that are recreationally harvested along the California coast, including all bays and estuaries. The quarantine is in place to protect the public against poisoning that can lead to serious illness, including coma and death.


    “Don’t let your dinner party turn into tragedy by risking the consumption of sport-harvested mussels,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “The toxins found in shellfish can kill a person within 30 minutes. There are no known antidotes, and the toxins are not reliably destroyed by cooking.”


    The quarantine is designed to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid poisoning (DAP) in people who might otherwise consume sport-harvested mussels. Both of these toxins are linked to plankton consumed by shellfish, including mussels and clams.


    Historically, the majority of human cases of PSP illnesses occur between spring and fall. In California, PSP is extremely rare in part due to the efforts put forth by CDPH to protect the public against poisoning. There have been no reported cases of DAP in California.


    Early symptoms of PSP include tingling of the lips and tongue, which may begin within minutes of eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by a loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.


    Commercially harvested shellfish are not included in the annual quarantine because all commercial harvesters in California are certified by CDPH and subject to strict testing requirements to ensure that all oysters, clams and mussels entering the marketplace are free of toxins.


    In addition to this annual quarantine, consumers are urged not to eat recreationally harvested razor clams from Humboldt and Del Norte counties due to continued high levels of domoic acid. Symptoms of DAP, also known as 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 completely within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience difficulty breathing, confusion, disorientation, seizures, permanent loss of short term memory, coma and death.


    More information about the quarantine, PSP and DAP can be found on the CDPH Annual Mussel Quarantine - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Web page.


    For updated information on quarantines and shellfish toxins, call the CDPH Biotoxin Information Line at (800) 553-4133.

  2. Default

    Does anyone actually gather and eat mussles in the SoCal region? Seriously curious. I've seen a couple posts on the Spearfish boards about folks doing it, but otherwise seems to be a fairly unknown area

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by carpanglerdude View Post
    Does anyone actually gather and eat mussles in the SoCal region? Seriously curious. I've seen a couple posts on the Spearfish boards about folks doing it, but otherwise seems to be a fairly unknown area
    I've seen people take bat rays home to eat.

    People taking mussels home would definitely not surprise me.

  4. #4

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    Back in the 1960s and early 70s, my dad and I would go clam digging at very low tides for the big Pismo Clams at Huntington and Seal Beach, but only during the winter months when the water was cold and the shellfish were safe to eat. We would also collect the large Black Mussels from the rocks in Laguna Beach. With the mussels, we would only take ones that were exposed during the low minus tides. Though I was not a fan of the mussels, the clams were great. Cleaned and tenderized, breaded, then fried in a butter and oil mixture, the Pismo Clams were really good eating. People that tried them for the first time loved them. Although I have not gone clamming for many years, I think some people still do it, especially up north in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties (Pismo Beach).

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by carpanglerdude View Post
    Does anyone actually gather and eat mussles in the SoCal region? Seriously curious. I've seen a couple posts on the Spearfish boards about folks doing it, but otherwise seems to be a fairly unknown area
    It was probably almost 7 years ago. Saw a family collecting them near the Queen Mary of all places!

  6. #6

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    I don't eat mussels, but I once dated a girl
    With a tattoo of a CLAM on her thigh!!

    When u put ur ear up to it u can smell the ocean

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