MENDOCINO Co., 4/24/18 — The public health advisory concerning rock crabs caught south of the Mendocino-Humboldt county line has been lifted, and the California Department of Public Health has declared that rock crabs caught in Mendocino waters are now safe to eat. The advisory had been put in place due to tests showing high levels of domoic acid — but new tests have shown that domoic acid levels have dropped low enough for the crabs to be safe to consume.
The advisory for Mendocino County was lifted after tests taken on March 30 showed low levels of domoic acid. The warning remains in place for rock caught north of Mendocino County. Toxic effects of domoic acid can appear between 30 minutes to 24 hours after consumption, and can include “vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness.”
Domoic acid is produced by algae and occurs naturally in coastal waters, and it is not infrequent that public safety warnings are issued due to concerns about toxicity from high domoic acid levels, which have delayed crabbing season in past years.
The CDPH warns the public to take precautions:
“Consumers are advised not to eat the viscera (internal organs, also known as “guts” that may contain fat or “butter”) of crab. The viscera usually contain much higher levels of domoic acid than crab body meat. When whole crab are cooked in liquid, domoic acid may leach from the viscera into the cooking liquid. Water or broth used to cook whole crab should be discarded and not used to prepare dishes such as sauces, broths, soups or stews (for example, cioppino or gumbo), stocks, roux, dressings or dips.
The best ways to reduce risk are to: Remove the crab viscera and rinse out the body cavity prior to cooking, or Boil or steam whole crab, instead of frying or broiling, and discard the viscera and cooking liquids.”
Here’s the full press release:
CDPH Lifts Rock Crab Health Advisory in Mendocino County
SACRAMENTO –The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has lifted the health advisory for rock crab caught in state waters in all areas south of the Mendocino/Humboldt County line (Latitude 40° 00.00′ N). CDPH lifted this advisory today due to recent tests showing that domoic acid has declined to low or undetectable levels in rock crab caught in the area, indicating that they are safe to consume. There have been no reported illnesses associated with this event.
This partial lifting comes after the March 30, 2018 advisory lifting the advisory for rock crab caught in state waters south of Latitude 38° 46.1′ N (near Gualala). The advisory remains in effect for rock crab caught in state waters north of the Mendocino/Humboldt County Line (Latitude 40° 00.00′ N).
As a precaution, consumers are advised not to eat the viscera (internal organs, also known as “guts” that may contain fat or “butter”) of crab. The viscera usually contain much higher levels of domoic acid than crab body meat. When whole crab are cooked in liquid, domoic acid may leach from the viscera into the cooking liquid. Water or broth used to cook whole crab should be discarded and not used to prepare dishes such as sauces, broths, soups or stews (for example, cioppino or gumbo), stocks, roux, dressings or dips.
The best ways to reduce risk are to:
- Remove the crab viscera and rinse out the body cavity prior to cooking, or
- Boil or steam whole crab, instead of frying or broiling, and discard the viscera and cooking liquids.
Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning 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.
Domoic acid accumulation in seafood is a natural occurrence that is related to a “bloom” of a particular single-celled plant. The conditions that support the growth of this plant are complex and not predictable. CDPH will continue to coordinate its efforts with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the fishing community to collect rock crab samples from the northern California coast.
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. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Web page or the CDPH Domoic Acid Web page.