Bivalves from PD still unsafe for consumption, says Fisheries Department

Source: The Star

SEREMBAN: Samples of mussels taken for the fifth time from waters off Port Dickson show that the bivalves are still not safe for human consumption, says the Fisheries Department.

The department said samples taken on April 29 show the mussels contained high levels of dangerous biotoxins.

"The department will continue to monitor the situation and conduct tests based on provisions under the National Shellfish Sanitation Programme.

"This will continue until the level of biotoxin reaches safe levels and the mussels are safe to eat," it said in a statement.

The department said it has been working with the state's fishermens' association and wholesalers to ensure all parties complied with the ruling prohibiting the sale of mussels harvested from waters off Port Dickson.

It said checks carried out found there were 81 mussel breeders in the area.

On April 4, the department issued a ban on the harvesting and selling of mussels in Port Dickson after lab tests showed they had been contaminated by algae species from the Prorocentrum, Alexandrium, and Pseudo-nitzschia genera.

The department only came to know about the contamination after several people were hospitalised after consuming the mussels.

On April 2, eight cases of food poisoning, then believed to have been caused by eating mussels, were reported in the resort town.

Two people were admitted into the intensive care unit of the district hospital after they experienced paralysis.

The department then advised people to refrain from eating mussels, lokan, and lala harvested from waters off the resort town for at least three weeks until they are certified safe to eat.

The advisory exempts fish, squid, crabs and other marine produce.

The department said preliminary findings revealed that the algae population had increased drastically due to the unusually hot weather.