New Zealand Food Safety has issued a public health warning against collecting shellfish from the western half of the Firth of Thames. Paralytic Shellfish Toxins have been detected at Waimangu Point at levels above the safe limit of the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).
Anyone eating shellfish from this area is potentially at risk of illness, including mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles, scallops, catseyes, kina (sea urchin), and all other bivalve shellfish should not be eaten.
New Zealand Food Safety has warned that cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin.
However, Pāua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed before cooking, as toxins accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed, its contents could contaminate the meat during cooking.
Symptoms typically appear between 10 minutes and 3 hours after ingestion. They may include numbness and tingling around the mouth, face, and extremities, difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, paralysis and respiratory failure and in severe cases, death.
If anyone becomes ill after eating shellfish from an area with a public health warning, phone Healthline for advice or seek medical attention immediately.
Individuals are also advised to contact their nearest public health unit and keep any leftover shellfish as it could be tested.
Monitoring of toxin levels will continue, and any changes will be communicated accordingly. Commercially harvested shellfish, sold in shops and supermarkets or exported, are subject to strict water and flesh monitoring programmes by MPI to ensure they are safe to eat.
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