Port Underwood shellfish ban is lifted

Queen Charlotte Sound shellfish is still dangerous to eat 

The shellfish ban at Port Underwood has been lifted however the ban remains in place for Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel.

Testing of shellfish in Port Underwood has shown the levels of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxin have returned to a safe level and it is now safe to harvest and eat shellfish from this area.

However the more serious Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxin remains at unsafe levels in shellfish in Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel - shellfish are still dangerous to eat from the Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel.

The areas affected remain all of inner Queen Charlotte Sound from a line drawn between Cape Jackson
across to Cape Koamaru, Tory Channel out to East Head and West head (see map below).

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Continued testing in Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel has shown that levels of the  toxins that can cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) have declined but are still at unsafe levels for human consumption 

Symptoms of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning are numbness and tingling around the mouth, face or extremities; difficulty swallowing or breathing; dizziness; double vision. In severe cases, paralysis
and respiratory failure can occur Acute symptoms of PSP usually occur within 12 hours of eating shellfish
Do not to eat kina, mussels, pipi, tuatua, oysters, cockles and scallops harvested from affected areas
since March 22, 2011.

Paua, crab, and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut was completely removed prior to cooking. (If the
gut was not removed its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.) 

Cooking affected shellfish does not remove the toxin.

Fish, such as snapper, cod, gurnard, and terakihi are not affected by the toxin and are still safe to
eat.

Monitoring of the situation is ongoing, and in the meantime people should not take or consume shellfish
from these areas.

People who want more information about the safety of shellfish in their possession should contact the
On Call Health Protection Officer on (03) 520 9999 Blenheim or (03) 546 1800 Nelson. People who
become ill after eating shellfish should seek medical attention.