Recreational harvest for all species of shellfish is now closed from Bellingham Bay to Skagit County due to rising levels of biotoxins, the Whatcom County Health Department announced Wednesday.
The decision by the Washington State Department of Health came following unsafe levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning biotoxin were detected in molluscan shellfish in southern Whatcom County.
Closure for butter and varnish clams remains in place for Sandy Point south, including Bellingham Bay, Portage Bay and Chuckanut Bay, and the area around Lummi Island.
In northern Whatcom County, north of Sandy Point to the Canadian border, including Point Roberts, harvest remains open for all species.
“We will notify the public when there is a change in biotoxin levels that may affect public health,” the county health department said in Wednesday’s announcement. “Keep in mind that biotoxin levels can change rapidly.”
To stay up to date on current closures, visit the state Department of Health website, or call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632.
