High levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning have prompted continued closure of a portion of St. Mary’s Bay to harvesting of shellfish for recreational or commercial purposes.
The prohibited area is that portion of St. Mary’s Bay within a line drawn from Whipple Point, Digby Neck, to the lighthouse at Cape St. Mary’s, and a line drawn from the fish plant at Belliveau’s Cove on White’s Cove Road to the fish plant at Little River Cove.
The ban applies to shellfish with two shells, and includes oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, quahogs and whelks.
A statement today from Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the closure is due to an increase in levels of PSP--or red tide--and added that levels are high in numerous locations throughout the coast.
With all PSP closures, the public is strongly urged to comply with fishing regulations and not harvest any shellfish from these areas. It is illegal to harvest shellfish from contaminated areas.
Eating contaminated shellfish can cause serious illness; cooking does not destroy the PSP toxin. Proper documentation must accompany commercially harvested shellfish to demonstrate that it has been harvested legally and inspected appropriately.
PSP results from eating shellfish that contain naturally occurring toxins. These toxins are derived from planktonic organisms called dinoflagellates. Shellfish are filter feeders that ingest and accumulate these toxic dinoflagellates in their system. When the right conditions are present (water temperature, salinity, weather patterns, nutrient requirements, etc.), levels of concentration can increase. Lobster, crab and shrimp are not affected by these kinds of toxins.
Coastal waters are routinely monitored and are closed to shellfish harvesting when toxin levels are too high for safe public consumption. As these rises are unpredictable, detailed control measures must be put in place to ensure that the health and safety of the public is protected. Mollusc harvesting closures are also implemented due to sewage contamination or dioxin levels in some areas.
Additional information can be found in the DFO backgrounder
Shellfish Harvest Closures available at:
www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca).html
