The mission of the Shellfish Programs is to prevent illness and death from eating contaminated molluscan shellfish (such as oysters and clams).  The Shellfish programs:

• monitor biotoxins (such as paralytic shellfish poison, and domoic acid),

• close harvest areas when biotoxin levels pose a threat to public health,

• license and inspect commercial shellfish operations,

• monitor and classify shellfish growing areas,

• and provide timely information to recreational harvesters about where, when, and which kinds of shellfish are safe to harvest.

Are you interested in....

 Biotoxin Information

• "Clickable maps" showing recreational shellfish closures

• Biotoxins - Myths and Misconceptions

• PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, formerly called "red tide")
  Domoic Acid (also known as ASP, Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning)

• Vibriosis in Shellfish

• Commercial Shellfish Companies

• Growing Area Annual Reports

• 2007 Shellfish Areas Listed as Threatened or of Concern
• How Shellfish Growing Areas are classified

• Is it safe to dig shellfish? ("clickable maps")

• Summer precautions for Recreational Harvesters

 Publications about Shellfish , growing areas, safe harvesting, licensing, recreational harvesting, biotoxins, reports, and more...
 

 List of all Shellfish Staff

Tanks rule approved by State Board of Health

Our Spokane Office
has moved

Oakland Bay, Shelton Harbor Sediment Study:
• News Release
(Dept. of Ecology)

• Dioxins - Frequently Asked Questions
(Dept. of Health)
 

See the list of public beaches closed
to the recreational harvest of shellfish (the Marine Biotoxin Bulletin, updated whenever conditions change), or the "clickable maps"