Oregon Coast reopened to mussel harvesting, July 21

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are reopening the entire Oregon Coast to recreational and commercial mussel harvesting. Shellfish samples taken along the coast indicate levels of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) have dropped below the alert level.  The entire coast, from the mouth of the Columbia River to the California border, was closed to mussel harvesting June 20, 2014 following two partial closures that began May 30.  With the reopening, the entire Oregon Coast is now open to all recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting with the exception of the Clatsop Beaches, which are closed to all razor clam harvesting until September 30, 2014 for conservation purposes. The conservation closure extends from the Columbia River to Tillamook Head.  For more information, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures Web page at http://oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/Pages/shellfish_status.aspx>.