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Two in N.B. hospital after eating toxic shellfish Aug. 3, 2004. 02:58 PM
CANADIAN PRESS
SAINT JOHN, N.B. - Two people, including one in critical condition, were in hospital today after eating contaminated mussels and clams they harvested along the Bay of Fundy coast near Beaver Harbour, N.B.
Public health officials said they were concerned that some people were either ignoring or unaware of warnings that have been posted since June regarding the presence of a poisonous algae in the water.
"In fact, in one of these cases, the patient admitted reading a warning sign regarding clams and harvested anyway," said Dr. Scott Giffin, the provincial medical officer of health for southwestern New Brunswick.
"That concerns me greatly . . . they need to know these signs are put there for a reason," Griffin said.
The algae, known as red tide, produces toxins that are filtered by bivalves like mussels, clams, quahogs and oysters.
It's a naturally occurring phenomenon that leads to shellfish harvesting closures in parts of the Maritimes every summer.
Most of the warnings this summer have been posted along an area stretching from Alma, N.B., to the province's border with Maine.
When the algae is ingested by humans, it can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), a potentially fatal neurological disorder that ranges from tingling in body's extremities to a complete shutdown of critical functions.
Giffin said the victims, who he described as previously healthy young people, were being treated at the regional hospital in Saint John.
In the most critical case, the victim harvested mussels from a rope tied to a salmon cage in Beaver Harbour, west of Saint John.
Harvey Millar, chief conservation officer for the federal fisheries department in southwest New Brunswick, said the red tide algae bloom came early this year and appears to be lingering.
"It could easily go on for the next eight to 10 weeks. There's no way of knowing," said Millar.
"It could be water temperature, wind, rain just a combination of things."
The algae has not had an effect on any of the bay's most prized and lucrative bivalve, scallops.
That fishery is regulated and catches are regularly monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which also tests clams and mussels for PSP.
Andrew Justason, an agency supervisor, said the levels of red tide in harvest areas this year are no higher than usual, but the algae appears to have bloomed early.
"We go out and take samples of clams and mussels and have them analyzed for the presence of toxins," said Justason from his Black's Harbour, N.B., office.
"We then make a recommendation to the department of fisheries to close or open those areas."
Millar said it's critical to get the message out about the potential danger.
"You know you can tell one group but they leave to go home and then there are new people there. It just keeps coming."
Aside from posting signs on several beaches and in harvesting areas officials are also hoping to use public service announcements to get the warning out.