​CDPH Warns Public Not to Consume Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish From Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties​

March 28, 2025

SN25-003​​

​What You Need to Know: CDPH is advising the public not to consume sport-harvested bivalve shellfish, including mussels, clams, and scallops, gathered from Los Angeles County and Santa Barbara County. Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been found in shellfish in these areas.​​

Sacramento – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat sport-harvested mussels, clams, or scallops from Los Angeles County and Santa Barbara County.

This shellfish safety notification is in addition to the warning against eating sport-harvested bivalve shellfish in Santa Barbara County due to paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins​.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid, which can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), have been detected in mussels from these areas. The naturally occurring domoic acid toxin can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin. CDPH is warning the public not to consume mussels or any other sport-harvested bivalve shellfish from Los Angeles or Santa Barabara counties.

Symptoms of ASP can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma, or death.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins affect the nervous system, producing a tingling around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

This warning does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

You can get the most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines by calling CDPH's toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133 or viewing the recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring web page​.