‘Lethal’ PSP levels close Hood Canal shellfish harvesting

Published 1:30 am Monday, July 6, 2026

The Washington State Department of Health is warning residents and visitors not to harvest or eat recreational shellfish from Hood Canal after laboratory testing detected lethal levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning toxin in shellfish samples collected last week near Hoodsport and surrounding areas.

As a result, all recreational shellfish harvesting remains closed in Hood Canal from Foulweather Bluff and Port Ludlow Bay south, including Port Gamble Bay, Quilcene Bay, Dabob Bay, and Mats Mats Bay. The closure has been expanded to include Port Townsend, Oak Bay, and Marrowstone Island, per a DOH news release.

The closure applies to clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, and other molluscan shellfish species. Crab and shrimp are not included. Mason, Kitsap, and Jefferson County authorities have posted warning signs at public beaches throughout the affected areas.

PSP is a naturally occurring marine toxin that cannot be detected by sight, smell, or taste and is not destroyed by cooking, freezing, or cleaning shellfish. Symptoms can develop within minutes to several hours after eating contaminated shellfish and may include tingling or numbness of the lips, tongue, hands, and feet. Severe cases can cause difficulty breathing, paralysis, and death, per DOH. Anyone experiencing symptoms after eating shellfish should seek immediate medical attention or call 911.

DOH conducts ongoing statewide monitoring of recreational and commercially harvested shellfish to help protect public health. DOH advises the public to check the state’s Shellfish Safety Map (fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html) before harvesting recreational shellfish, as affected areas will remain closed until monitoring confirms toxin levels have returned to safe levels.