By DANIEL GREEN

For The Beachcomber

Due to high levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) in the water, Quartermaster Harbor is now closed for shellfish harvesting.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has prohibited recreational harvesting of all shellfish in the harbor: clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters, snails and other invertebrates.

The DOH’s restrictions do not include crab or shrimp, however.

DOH spokeswoman Hilary Karasz said in a press release that crabmeat is not known to contain the PSP toxin, but the guts can contain unsafe levels. To avoid poisoning, one should clean the crab thoroughly and throw out the remaining guts, or “butter.”

PSP is a naturally occurring toxin that is produced by marine organisms and often appears in the summer months. The toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing the shellfish.

If eaten, the PSP neurotoxin can be life-threatening. Symptoms of PSP poisoning usually occur between 30 minutes and an hour after eating the contaminated shellfish; however, they may not surface for several hours.

Symptoms are generally mild and begin with numbness or tingling of the face, arms and legs. This is followed by headache, dizziness, nausea, and loss of muscle coordination.

If severely poisoned, a victim will experience muscle paralysis and respiratory failure. In this case, death may occur in two to 25 hours.

If symptoms are mild, Karasz advised that those who ingested the poison should call their healthcare provider or the Washington Poison Center.

In serious cases, she recommended contacting 911 or visiting an emergency room immediately.

The DOH may close shellfish harvesting at any time throughout the year, so the state advises that harvesters visit the DOH’s Shellfish Safety Information website before collecting marine invertebrates. The harbor will likely reopen for shellfishing in the future.

— Daniel Green recently graduated from Vashon High School, where he wrote for The Riptide.