New Zealand Food Safety is advising the public not to collect or consume shellfish gathered from the northern side of Banks Peninsula due to the risk of paralytic shellfish toxins causing illness, says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle.
The warning extends from New Brighton to the northern side of Hickory Bay. As the weather changes, this bloom could spread wider.
“Do not gather and eat shellfish from this area because anyone doing so could get sick. Affected shellfish include bivalve shellfish such as mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles and scallops, as well as pūpū (cat’s eyes) and Cook’s turban.
“It’s important to know that cooking the shellfish does not remove the toxin, so shellfish from this area should not be eaten.”
A visible bloom at the head of Port Levy has extremely high numbers of paralytic shellfish toxin producing algae.
“We are monitoring this algal bloom in Port Levy and the wider area. This algae, called Alexandrium pacificum, produces a dangerous toxin and when shellfish filter-feed, these toxins can accumulate in their gut and flesh. Generally, the more algae there are in the water, the more toxic the shellfish get.”
Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning usually appear within 10 minutes to 3 hours of eating and may include:
- numbness and a tingling (prickly feeling) around the mouth, face, hands, and feet
- difficulty swallowing or breathing
- dizziness and headache
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhoea
- paralysis and respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death.
“Pāua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking, as toxins accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed, its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.
“Finfish are not affected by this public health warning, but we advise gutting the fish and discarding the liver before cooking,” says Mr Arbuckle.
New Zealand Food Safety has had no notifications of associated illness.
Anyone who becomes ill after eating shellfish from an area where a public health warning has been issued should phone Healthline for advice on 0800 61 11 16, or seek medical attention immediately. Please also contact your nearest public health unit and keep any leftover shellfish in case it can be tested.
“New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring shellfish in the region and will notify the public of any changes to the situation,” says Mr Arbuckle.
Commercially harvested shellfish – sold in shops and supermarkets or exported – is subject to strict water and flesh monitoring programmes by New Zealand Food Safety to ensure they are safe to eat.
Find out more
Shellfish biotoxin alert webpage
Subscribe to shellfish biotoxins to receive email alerts
See signage in the affected area
Podcast about shellfish contamination
Collecting Shellfish and Keeping Them Safe [PDF, 3.2 MB]
