SHELLFISH HOTLINE
24-hour Shellfish hotline: 360-374-5636
This telephone number provides a recorded message, which is regularly updated, providing information on the safety of shellfish consumption, based on samples from the beaches monitored by the Quileute Tribe and tested by Washington Department of Health.
Current advisory September 8, 2023
NOTICE TO SHELLFISH HARVESTERS: The most recent sampling for biotoxins in shellfish revealed that Kalaloch and Ruby and Second beaches are at levels that are considered UNSAFE for human consumption.
QNR will continue to sample the local areas (Kalaloch, Ruby Beach, Second Beach) and provide updates as soon as possible.
REMEMBER that BIOTOXIN LEVELS MAY CHANGE QUICKLY SO CALL THE HOTLINE PHONE FOR UPDATES. 360-374-5636. Children, elders, persons with serious health problems, compromised immune systems, and pregnant women should be cautious when eating shellfish. Low levels such as
Eating shellfish contaminated with the ASP toxin (amnesic shellfish poisoning), domoic acid, can cause minor to severe illness within minutes to hours after consumption. In mild cases, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and headache. In more serious cases, symptoms may include permanent loss of short-term memory, excessive bronchial secretions, difficulty breathing, coma, and even death. Cooking, freezing, smoking or any other method cannot destroy the toxin.
Children, elders, persons with serious health problems or compromised immune systems and/or pregnant women should be cautious when eating shellfish. Low levels (less than 20 parts per million) of domoic acid may pose a significant health risk.
Shellfish contaminated with PSP toxins (paralytic shellfish poisoning) can cause minor to severe illness or even death. Signs and symptoms of PSP most often occur within 10 to 30 minutes after eating affected seafood. Problems can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and tingling, numb or burning lips, gums, tongue, face, neck, arms, legs, and toes. Later problems may include shortness of breath, dry mouth, a choking feeling, confused or slurred speech, dizziness and lack of coordination. Cooking, freezing, smoking or any other method cannot destroy the toxin.
Sampling Information: Quileute Natural Resource’s Shellfish program is sampling razor clams, mussels and crab as tides and opportunity allow for Domoic Acid ASP and Parallytic Shellfish Poisoning biotoxins in the shellfish and water. Shellfish samples are also sent to Washington State Department of Health for futher analysis. Water samples are also collected for identification of phytoplankton that may produce ASP or PSP toxins. State results come back within 3 – 4 days and the results are posted on the hotline published at the top of this web page.
If you have ingested shellfish and suspect you have been exposed to one of these biotoxins, contact a health provider right away and let them know you have consumed shellfish that may contain biotoxins. If you still have some of the shellfish you should bring that with you to your health care professional as well.
Species Tested: Razor Clams, California (blue) Mussels, crab as needed
Beaches Sampled: First Beach, Second Beach, Ruby Beach and Kalaloch Beach
If you have shellfish samples that you would like to have analyzed please contact my office at 360-374-2059
Page prepared by jennifer.hagen@quileutenation.org