Annual Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels Ends October 31
Author: Environmental Health
Date: 11/2/2026 9:21 AM
The Annual Mussel Quarantine ended at midnight on October 31, 2026.
We thank you for your assistance and cooperation in the prevention of paralytic shellfish
poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid poisoning, also known as amnesic shellfish poisoning
(ASP) in California. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has announced
that the annual quarantine for sport-harvested mussels will end at midnight on October
31, 2026, for the California coast.
Shellfish safety notifications for sport-harvested razor clams from Del Norte County and
Humboldt County remain in effect. Dangerous levels of naturally occurring domoic acid,
also referred to as amnesic shellfish poisoning, have been detected in the razor clams.
Razor clams are known to retain domoic acid toxin in their meat and tissues much
longer than other species of bivalve shellfish.
The warning against eating sport-harvested bivalve shellfish (including mussels, clams,
and scallops) from the Northern Channel Islands remains in effect, due to lack of data
meeting the criteria to lift the advisory.
Domoic acid and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins remain at low or
undetectable levels in mussel samples along the California coast.
Lifting Notice:
CDPH has issued a notice announcing the end of the annual mussel quarantine.
