New Zealand – South Island shellfish biotoxin warnings – PSP

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Reason for alert	Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Check the symptoms of PSP
Date warning issued	Media release: 24 April 2024
Affected area	Inner Queen Charlotte Sound – Anakiwa to West Head and Dieffenbach Point.
Shellfish affected	Affected shellfish include bivalve shellfish such as mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles and scallops, as well as pūpū (cat’s eyes), Cook’s turban, and kina (sea urchin). Note, cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin. Pāua, crab, and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking, as toxins accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process. Finfish are not affected by this warning.
Symptoms	Symptoms typically appear between 10 minutes and 3 hours after ingestion and may include: numbness and a tingling (prickly feeling) around the mouth, face, and extremities (hands and feet) difficulty swallowing or breathing dizziness headache nausea vomiting diarrhoea paralysis and respiratory failure and in severe cases, death.
Other information	Paralytic shellfish toxins have been detected in shellfish at levels three times over the safe limit of 0.8mg/kg set by New Zealand Food Safety. Ongoing testing will continue and any changes will be communicated accordingly.