HomeMy WebLinkAbout082925 - Port Townsend Bay and Northern Quimper Peninsula Shellfish Closure for Jefferson County_ WAALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
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August 29, 2025
Port Townsend Bay and Northern Quimper Peninsula Shellfish Closure <https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1604>
<http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=22465>
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michael Dawson, Water Quality Manager
Jefferson County Public Health
360-385-9444 ext. 301
Jefferson County, WA. Shellfish samples from the Port Townsend Bay tested by the Washington Department of Health (DOH) were found to have high levels of the biotoxin that causes Paralytic
Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). Therefore, DOH has closed Port Townsend Bay and the Northern Quimper Peninsula, including Fort Worden State Park and Point Hudson, for the recreational harvest
of all species of molluscan shellfish including clams, oysters, mussels and scallops. The closure includes the Port Hadlock area, but does not include Fort Flagler State Park. Jefferson
County Public Health has posted Danger signs at public access points in the area. Crab and shrimp are not included in the closure. Even if the crab meat is safe, toxins can accumulate
in crab gut and butter (the white-yellow fat inside the back of the shell). Clean crab thoroughly and avoid eating the crab butter and guts.
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning can be fatal. Illness is caused by eating shellfish contaminated with toxins from the naturally occurring marine plankton Alexandrium. The biotoxin is not
destroyed by cooking or freezing. Symptoms of PSP can appear within minutes or hours and usually begin with tingling lips and tongue, moving to the hands and feet, followed by difficulty
breathing and paralysis. Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms after consuming shellfish should contact a health care provider immediately. For extreme reactions, call 911.
This closure comes one day after a similar closure of Port Ludlow and Mats Mats Bay. To find out which areas are safe to harvest shellfish in Washington and the Washington Department
of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) harvesting seasons and rules, please check the map at www.doh.wa.gov/ShellfishSafety.htm or call the Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632. The status of beaches
changes often, so check frequently for the latest conditions. For the latest information on regulations and seasons, visit wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/shellfish-beaches or call WDFW Fish
Program customer service at 360-902-2700.
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Jefferson County Public Health
Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Community
View it on website <https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1604>
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