High levels of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) present along part of the Coromandel Peninsula have not affected Whangamata's scallop supply.
Whangamata Seafoods owner Peter Sopp says the health warning advising against the collection and consumption of shellfish, which has been in place since December, does not apply to the areas his
boats fish.
"It means nothing to us. All the areas we are fishing in are biotoxin free, they've all been cleared.
We test every week and where we get them from is cleared.
"Under the New Zealand Food Safety Authority we are legally bound to fish from a toxin-free area."
He says the warning should still be heeded by recreational fishermen.
"My advice to any recreational fishermen is to make sure they're getting them from a cleared area and they only eat the muscle and roe regardless."
While the recreational scallop season started last Wednesday, Peter says the commercial season started in July.
"Our season started on July 15 but we didn't start fishing until the third week of August. It wasn't to do with the biotoxin but the condition of the scallops - we were waiting for them to get fatter."
The unchanged affected area includes the entire coastline from Tairua (including Tairua Harbour) south, including Opoutere, Onemana, Whangamata, and Whiritoa, east along the Bay of Plenty coastline from Waihi beach, including Tauranga Harbour to the mouth of the Whakatane River.
The health warning applies to all bi-valve shellfish including mussels, pipi, tuatua, cockles, oysters, scallops as well as cats-eyes and kina (sea urchin). Paua, crayfish and crabs can be taken but as always, the gut should be removed before cooking.
Consumption of shellfish affected by the paralytic shellfish toxin can cause numbness and tingling around the mouth, face or extremities; difficulty swallowing or breathing; dizziness; double vision; and in severe cases, paralysis and respiratory failure.
The symptoms usually occur within 12 hours of consuming affected shellfish.
Anyone suffering illness after eating shellfish should seek medical attention.
