06-21-2007, 10:00 AM
CONCORD, N.H. -- To protect the public from the possible consumption of
contaminated shellfish, officials from the New Hampshire Department of
Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
have closed the Atlantic coastal waters to the taking of shellfish until
further notice. This action is in response to elevated levels of
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning or PSP, commonly known as "red tide," detected
in blue mussels collected from the Isles of Shoals and from
Hampton/Seabrook Harbor.
"This event is just beginning to affect New Hampshire waters. The
nature of red tide blooms vary from year to year, and it is too soon to know
how severe this one will be, or how long it might last," said Chris
Nash, Shellfish Program Manager for NHDES. The 2005 red tide event was the
most widespread and toxic event on record for New Hampshire waters,
while last summer brought a less severe event, characterized by high
toxicity in the offshore area and only low levels of toxin along the
beaches. "Toxicity levels are increasing right now. Sampling over the next few
weeks will tell us if the effects of the algae bloom are intensifying
or not," Nash noted.
Harvesting areas along the immediate Atlantic shoreline have actually
been closed since June 7, 2007, due to high bacteria levels following
heavy rainfall. Since that time, an offshore bloom of the marine algae
that causes PSP toxicity in shellfish has begun to affect the area. Blue
mussels collected from Hampton/Seabrook last week showed toxin levels
above the mandatory closure threshold of 80 micrograms toxin per 100
grams shellfish tissue. Higher toxicity levels were measured in samples
collected this week. Blue mussels from Star Island, Isles of Shoals, are
also exhibiting high toxicity values.
Other New Hampshire shellfish harvesting areas, including the oyster
beds around Nannie Island and Adams Point in Great Bay, are not affected
by this PSP closure of Atlantic waters. Officials from the New
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will continue to monitor
shellfish toxicity levels throughout coastal New Hampshire and will implement
additional closures as appropriate. Changes to the open/closed status
of shellfish waters will be announced on the Clam Flat Hotline
(1-800-43-CLAMS) and on the Fish and Game website at
[url "http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/clam_flat_status.htm"]http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/clam_flat_status.htm[/url].
Red tide is a condition in which filter-feeding shellfish such as
clams, oysters, and mussels accumulate a potent neurotoxin produced by a
naturally occurring marine algae. Ingesting the toxin is potentially fatal
to humans, and cooking does not make contaminated shellfish safe for
consumption. For more information, consult the NHDES Shellfish Program
website at [url "http://des.nh.gov/wmb/shellfish"]http://des.nh.gov/wmb/shellfish[/url].
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contaminated shellfish, officials from the New Hampshire Department of
Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
have closed the Atlantic coastal waters to the taking of shellfish until
further notice. This action is in response to elevated levels of
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning or PSP, commonly known as "red tide," detected
in blue mussels collected from the Isles of Shoals and from
Hampton/Seabrook Harbor.
"This event is just beginning to affect New Hampshire waters. The
nature of red tide blooms vary from year to year, and it is too soon to know
how severe this one will be, or how long it might last," said Chris
Nash, Shellfish Program Manager for NHDES. The 2005 red tide event was the
most widespread and toxic event on record for New Hampshire waters,
while last summer brought a less severe event, characterized by high
toxicity in the offshore area and only low levels of toxin along the
beaches. "Toxicity levels are increasing right now. Sampling over the next few
weeks will tell us if the effects of the algae bloom are intensifying
or not," Nash noted.
Harvesting areas along the immediate Atlantic shoreline have actually
been closed since June 7, 2007, due to high bacteria levels following
heavy rainfall. Since that time, an offshore bloom of the marine algae
that causes PSP toxicity in shellfish has begun to affect the area. Blue
mussels collected from Hampton/Seabrook last week showed toxin levels
above the mandatory closure threshold of 80 micrograms toxin per 100
grams shellfish tissue. Higher toxicity levels were measured in samples
collected this week. Blue mussels from Star Island, Isles of Shoals, are
also exhibiting high toxicity values.
Other New Hampshire shellfish harvesting areas, including the oyster
beds around Nannie Island and Adams Point in Great Bay, are not affected
by this PSP closure of Atlantic waters. Officials from the New
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will continue to monitor
shellfish toxicity levels throughout coastal New Hampshire and will implement
additional closures as appropriate. Changes to the open/closed status
of shellfish waters will be announced on the Clam Flat Hotline
(1-800-43-CLAMS) and on the Fish and Game website at
[url "http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/clam_flat_status.htm"]http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/clam_flat_status.htm[/url].
Red tide is a condition in which filter-feeding shellfish such as
clams, oysters, and mussels accumulate a potent neurotoxin produced by a
naturally occurring marine algae. Ingesting the toxin is potentially fatal
to humans, and cooking does not make contaminated shellfish safe for
consumption. For more information, consult the NHDES Shellfish Program
website at [url "http://des.nh.gov/wmb/shellfish"]http://des.nh.gov/wmb/shellfish[/url].
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