Quarantine Issued on Harvesting of Mussels

A quarantine on all species of mussels harvested along the California coast went into effect Thursday and runs through Oct. 31, county health officials announced.

Hazardous levels of naturally occurring toxins capable of causing paralytic shellfish poisoning can be found in the shellfish harvested recreationally off Ventura County’s coast, officials said.

Consumers of sport-harvested clams or scallops are warned to eat only the white meat. All dark-colored organs should be removed before cooking.

County environmental health officials will continue sampling shellfish until the quarantine ends. Placards have been posted along the coast, alerting people to the ban.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning can affect balance and muscle coordination, and can cause slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In worst cases, the toxins can cause complete muscular paralysis and death by asphyxiation.

There is no known antidote to the naturally occurring toxins and cooking can’t be relied on to eliminate them.

Anyone experiencing symptoms should seek immediate medical attention, officials said.

The California Department of Health Services has a toll-free shellfish information hotline for information on shellfish toxin findings and quarantines. The number is (800) 553-4133.