Source: Independent Online 2 June 2000 [edited]
The white mussels that washed out at Bloubergstrand this week died after
being paralyzed by red tide toxins. Marine and Coastal Management (MCM)
staff have warned the public not to eat any shellfish on the West Coast
from Cape Point northwards as they may also be poisonous.
MCM marine scientist Trevor Probyn said they had run tests on some of the
dead mussels, known as otter mussels, and had found the toxin [the
dinoflagellate] Alexandrium catenella in them.
"This is the bad one, the red tide toxin [presumably saxitoxins] causes
paralysis and has been known to kill humans. Shellfish are fairly resistant
to it, but some are susceptible. What might have happened is the toxin
weakened them or paralyzed them and when they were washed out by waves in
stormy weather, they could not burrow back into the sand," he said.
[2]Red tide kills 30m mussels
Date: 2 Jun 2000
From: M. Cosgriff
Source: Daily Dispatch Online 2 June 2000 [edited]
JOHANNESBURG -- Toxic "red tide" was responsible for the death of 30
million mussels which washed ashore at Bloubergstrand in the Western Cape
on Wednesday, reported SABC television news. Eating 3 of the infected
mussels would be enough to kill a person.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Management tested the mussels and say
they had died from paralytic shellfish poisoning, which is the most toxic
form of red tide.
"It's late in the season but we have had a long summer and we often still
find it in the water during June and July," spokeswoman Desiree Calder said.
The department will test black and white mussels on the West Coast and
warned the public not to eat mussels found north of Cape Point. Infected
shellfish remain toxic a month after their death.
M. Cosgriff
mcosgriff@hotmail.com