Countywide : Annual Shellfish Warning Issued

Great white sharks get the bad press, but bad shellfish cause the most deaths. Since 1927, more than 521 cases of shellfish poisoning resulting in 32 deaths have occurred, which is why the state prohibits harvesting mussels, clams, oysters and scallops from May 1 through Oct. 31. The bivalve mollusks are known to produce a deadly poison during spring and summer.

To safeguard the public, the Orange County Health Care Agency has issued a general warning for people not to consume any mussels taken from coastal waters.

Mussels are regarded as the most dangerous mollusk in the group because they create high levels of poison more quickly than other shellfish. Mussels are also usually eaten whole without removal of the digestive organs, which contain the poison. Some mussels are not toxic, but health officials discourage eating any variety because it is difficult to tell them apart.

The quarantine applies only to shellfish collected off California waters by sport harvesters. Commercial harvesters are permitted to sell mussels and other shellfish but must be certified and are subjected to rigorous testing.