Birch Bay has once again been closed to the recreational harvest of molluscan shellfish due to high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) biotoxin in recent lab tests. All beaches north of Birch Point to the Canadian border, including all of Birch Bay, Drayton Harbor, and Point Roberts, are closed.
Shellfish harvesters are advised to always check for current shellfish closures on the Washington Shellfish Safety Map (doh.wa.gov/shellfishsafety) or to call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 800/562-5632 before harvesting shellfish anywhere in Washington state.
Marine biotoxins such as PSP are toxins produced by some naturally occurring algae. The toxins accumulate in molluscan shellfish, which include clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops. People can become sick from eating shellfish that contain the toxin. Symptoms of PSP include tingling of lips, tongue, fingers and toes, and can progress to loss of control of arms or legs and difficulty breathing. If enough toxin is consumed, the person can become paralyzed and be unable to breathe.
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