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DARTMOUTH, N.S. – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is advising the public that the levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin (PSP or red tide) are high in numerous locations throughout the coast. Many areas, including select areas of the Annapolis Basin and St. Mary's Bay, are now closed to harvesting bivalve shellfish due to unacceptable PSP levels. Coordinates of the latest closed areas are outlined below.
Bivalve shellfish are shellfish with two shells (i.e.: oysters, mussels, clams, quahogs, and scallops). In today's announced closures, all bivalves except scallops are closed. As the viscera portion of the scallop is known to retain toxins such as PSP, it is recommended that people only consume the scallop meat.
With all of these 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 is caused by a naturally-occurring algae (plankton) in coastal waters. When water temperatures rise, the amount of the algae in the water also increases. As bivalve molluscs feed on this algae by filtering large volumes of water, they accumulate and concentrate the toxins. PSP toxins generally only occur in bivalve molluscs. Crab, lobster and shrimp are not affected by these kinds of toxins.
DFO is reminding the public that N.S. coastal waters are routinely monitored and are closed to shellfish harvesting when toxin levels are too high for safe public consumption. Bivalve harvesting closures are also implemented due to sewage contamination or dioxin levels in some areas.
Shellfish closures can change frequently, therefore harvesters also are encouraged to call local DFO offices for information on current PSP closures prior to fishing.
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Specific Coordinates of closures as follows:
Annapolis Basin – Soft shell and hard shell clams, mussels, all
quahogs and all whelks – In the waters of Digby Gut and Annapolis Basin
inside of a straight line joining Latitude 44°41′30″N., Longitude 65°47′12″W.
(Light Tower at Prim Point) to Latitude 44°41′12″N., Longitude 65°45′36″W. (Fog
Alarm Building), except inside 400m below low tide. See map Digby 21A/12.
St.Mary's Bay – Soft shell and hard shell clams, mussels, all
quahogs and all whelks – That portion of the Bay of Fundy (St. Mary's Bay),
Nova Scotia, inside a line drawn from grid reference 0800 1025 (Whipple Point,
Brier Island) to grid reference 2825 0015 (Meteghan River), except 400m below
low tide. See maps Meteghan 21B/1, Church Point 21B/8 and Digby 21A/12.
Additional information can be found in the DFO Backgrounder, Shellfish
Harvest Closures, available at:
http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/communications/maritimes/back03e/B-MAR-03-(3E).html. |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Communications Branch
Maritimes Region
(902) 426-3550
CommEnquire@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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NR-MAR-06-11E |
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