Sonoma County shellfish not included in recent Bay Area toxin warning

State public health officials said Thursday that recent testing of shellfish samples in Sonoma County showed no detectable levels of a toxin that has triggered public health warnings against eating sport-harvested shellfish from San Mateo to Marin counties.|
MARTIN ESPINOZA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

State public health officials said Thursday that recent testing of shellfish samples in Sonoma County showed no detectable levels of a toxin that has triggered public health warnings against eating sport-harvested shellfish from San Mateo to Marin counties.

The California Department of Public Health said mussel samples from Sonoma County were collected Monday inside Bodega Bay and did not contain high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, toxins. The state agency continues to monitor shellfish samples from Sonoma County, a CDPH spokesman said.

On Wednesday, Marin County health officials said the state notified them the day before that mussel samples from the Chimney Rock sentinel station within the Point Reyes National Seashore were recently found to contain 37 times the “alert” level of paralytic shellfish poison, or PSP.

The state public health warning does not apply to clams, mussels, scallops or oysters harvested and sold commercially, as these are subject to frequent mandatory testing.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @renofish.

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