Thu, May 17, 2012 16:15
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Red Tide Warning Partially Lifted For Galveston Bay Area

Texas Business reports: A large portion of Galveston Bay is now open to the harvesting of oysters and other molluscan shellfish after DSHS testing in those areas shows shellfish are safe to consume.

Harvesting also continues in some areas previously opened in recent weeks.

DSHS will continue testing water and oyster meat throughout the Texas coast and will open additional areas as conditions allow.

The entire Texas coast had been closed to the harvesting of oysters, clams, mussels and whelks due to an intense red tide, an algal bloom of Karenia brevis.

The algae contains a toxin that can accumulate in the tissue of molluscan shellfish and cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, NSP, in humans who consume them.

Symptoms of NSP include nausea, dizziness, dilated pupils and a tingling sensation in the extremities.

The toxin does not affect shrimp, crab or finfish in the same way.

The newly opened areas of Galveston Bay are conditionally approved area 1 as well as the north, central, east and Smith Point approved areas.

Espiritu Santo Bay and conditionally approved areas 1, 2 and 3 of Lavaca Bay were previously opened and remain open to shellfish harvesting at this time. Maps of shellfish harvesting areas are located here.