The Blog

Mary Selecky, Secretary, Department of Health

09/28/11

Washington has great shellfish. We eat and export more than 75 million pounds of shellfish, worth $100 million, every year. Many of us enjoy gathering and eating shellfish from our favorite beaches. While our shellfish is plentiful and delicious, we’ve got to take a few precautions to help avoid shellfish-related illness.

All shellfish take in organisms like bacteria, plankton toxins, and viruses, from the water they filter. These organisms and toxins sometimes build up in the shellfish and make people who eat them sick. When it’s warm outside bacteria multiply quickly, increasing the chances of illness, but you can lower your risk of getting sick by following a few simple safety tips.

Cook shellfish before eating: cooking kills viruses and bacteria. The Department of Health Shellfish Program has complete instructions on the safe handling, storing, and cooking of shellfish.

Cooking does not destroy toxins, so it’s important to know if the shellfish area you’re going to is under a health advisory or closure. Conditions change often and so do the warnings that shellfish lovers should know about. Our toll-free hotline (1-800-562-5632) and our up-to-date Know Before You Dig map on our website provide information on the areas where harvesting is safe and the areas to avoid.

We have wonderful seafood in our state and by taking a few precautions we can continue to enjoy gathering and eating shellfish from our beaches.