Officials from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) have pulled the plug on mussel harvesting along the state's south coast, citing health concerns. According to their release, samples of mussels have shown levels of paralytic shellfish toxin high enough to impose a closure from Cape Blanco down to the California border. Mussel lovers need to head north as the waters from the Washington border to Cape Blanco are still deemed safe for harvesting these shellfish.
The red light for mussel harvesting on the south coast isn't the only bummer for shellfish aficionados. The ODFW has also sustained a closure for razor clam harvesting from Cape Blanco to the California border in response to worrisome levels of domoic acid, a different marine biotoxin. For those keeping score, that's two no-go zones for two different reasons. Meanwhile, the zone from the Washington border to Cape Blanco is still a go for razor clam enthusiasts.
It's not all doom and gloom, though, for coastal foragers. Recreational bay clam and crab harvesting haven't hit any snags and are open along the entirety of the Oregon coast. Coastal scallop fans can breathe easy as well, provided they stick to the adductor muscle and leave the rest of the scallop alone. On the commercial side, ODA gives the green light, attesting to the safety of shellfish products hitting the market.
For the shellfish collecting community, it’s a waiting game now. ODA officials have committed to weekly tests for shellfish toxins, Mother Nature permitting. Before an area gets the all-clear and reopens, it'll need to pass two consecutive tests showing biotoxin levels below the cautionary threshold. Harvesters hankering for up-to-the-minute info on closures can ring up the ODA's shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800) 448-2474 or check out the ODA recreational shellfish biotoxin closures webpage.
