New Zealand Food Safety has advised the public not to collect or consume shellfish gathered from the northern side of Banks Peninsula due to the risk of paralytic toxins causing illness.
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 such as mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles and scallops, as well as pūpū (cat’s eyes) and Cook’s turban," said New Zealand Food Safety deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle.
“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.
Arbuckle said the algal bloom in Port Levy and the wider area is being monitored. 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 ten minutes to three 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 cooking.
“Finfish are not affected by this public health warning, but we advise gutting the fish and discarding the liver before cooking."
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 or seek medical attention immediately. They can also contact the nearest public health unit and keep any leftover shellfish in case they can be tested.
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring the region and will notify the public of any changes to the situation.
Commercially harvested shellfish, sold in shops and supermarkets or exported, are subject to strict water and flesh monitoring programmes by New Zealand Food Safety to ensure they are safe to eat.
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