Please be aware of the following California Department of Public Health shellfish quarantines and advisories currently in effect.
Statewide Mussel QUARANTINE: The annual statewide mussel quarantine is in effect as of May 1. This quarantine is a yearly event to protect the public from potentially dangerous levels of biotoxins that may be present in mussels. For your own safety, DO NOT collect mussels from May 1 through October 31. For more information on the annual mussel quarantine please visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/…/Annual-Mussel-Quarantine.aspx.
Southern California Shellfish ADVISORY: The California Department of Public Health is advising individuals to not eat sport-harvested mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. Dangerous amounts of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid toxins have been detected throughout Southern California. These naturally occurring toxins can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxins. Commercially available shellfish are tested and okay to eat.
If you see a dead animal on a beach or an animal acting “strangely”, including lack of coordination/balance, lethargy, foaming mouth, or seizing/twitching, please keep your distance and stay at least 100 yards away (about the length of a football field). To report a dead, injured, or stranded marine mammal, please call the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network: 1-866-767-6114.
You can also contact your local county organization by finding the contact here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/report#west-coast-regional.
For the latest consumption warnings, please check for any health advisory information on the Department of Public Health’s Marine Biotoxin Quarantines and Health Advisories webpage: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/…/Marine-Biotoxin-Quarantines… or by calling CDPH’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.
The latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid will be updated on CDFW’s fishery closure information and health advisories website https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Health-Advisories or by calling CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line at (831) 649-2883.
