Annual Quarantine of Sport Harvested Mussels 2023
Author: California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
Date:
5/1/2023 8:47:11 AM
Annual Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels Notification
News Release
California Department of Public Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Update 5/1/2023
PH17-041 CONTACT: Ali Bay or Corey Egel | 916.440.7259 | [email protected]
The mussel quarantine is a yearly event that happens due to dangerous levels of biotoxins that may be present in mussels gathered by the public anywhere on the California coast, including bays, inlets and harbors. The quarantine applies only to sport-harvested mussels; commercially grown mussels from certified companies are not included in the quarantine. The annual mussel quarantine is in place to protect the public against paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid poisoning (DAP), also known as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning.
The annual quarantine is normally in effect from May 1 through October 31. However, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) may begin the quarantine early, or extend it, if monitoring results indicate the presence of dangerous levels of biotoxins outside of the normal quarantine period. The May through October quarantine period encompasses more than 99 percent of all PSP illnesses and deaths reported in California since 1927. The mussel quarantine is in effect from the Oregon border to the Mexican border. All bays, inlets and harbors are included.
The annual quarantine is in place so the public does not collect mussels during this high-risk period for marine toxins. The occurrence of biotoxins in mussels is unpredictable and they can increase in concentration very rapidly. Therefore, the annual quarantine period provides the best approach for protecting the public from these potentially deadly biotoxins.
There are no known antidotes to the toxins found in mussels. Cooking does not reliably destroy the toxins.
For additional information about the mussel quarantine: Mussel Quarantine Frequently Asked Questions[External] section.