Authorities have warned the public not to collect or consume shellfish washed up along the West Coast after a red tide led to mass shellfish deaths, with toxic algae posing serious health risks. The public has been urged not to consume white mussels or any other shellfish washed up along parts of the West Coast after authorities confirmed the presence of a harmful algal bloom, commonly known as red tide. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) said large numbers of dead white mussels, whelks and other shellfish have washed ashore at St Helena Bay and Elandsbaai over the past 48 hours.
According to the department, the condition of the shellfish suggests they were paralysed before dying, leaving them unable to burrow and resulting in them being washed out by the sea. This is most likely linked to a harmful algal bloom (HAB), or red tide, which occurs when large amounts of phytoplankton accumulate in coastal waters. Red tides are common along the West Coast during summer and autumn.
In this case, the bloom is colourless and therefore not visible to the naked eye, but it produces paralytic shellfish poisoning neurotoxins that are extremely dangerous to humans. “All shellfish, irrespective of whether they are washed up or collected from the shore or subtidal areas, should not be eaten,” the department warned. Members of the public have been cautioned to refrain from consuming any washed-up marine animals, as they pose serious health risks and are not safe for consumption. The DFFE said it would continue to monitor the situation and assess the extent of the red tide and the resulting mass mortalities along the West Coast.
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