Northland Age
  • Northland Age home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
  • Opinion
  • Kaitaia weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northland Age

Shellfish off the menu

By Peter Jackson
Northland Age·
12 Oct, 2020 03:33 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Tuatua are included in a west coast shellfish harvesting ban. Photo / file

Tuatua are included in a west coast shellfish harvesting ban. Photo / file

The Ministry for Primary Industries has issued a public health warning against collecting shellfish on the west coast from Waipapakauri Ramp to Pouto Point, on the northern head of the Kaipara Harbour, including the Herekino, Whangape and Hokianga Harbours. Warning signs will be posted in the coming days.

The warning, issued after routine tests showed levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins above the safe limit set by the MPI, and applies to mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles, scallops, catseyes, kina (sea urchins), and all other bivalve shellfish.

Cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin, but pāua, crabs and crayfish may be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking. If the gut is not removed its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.

Symptoms of PSP typically appear between 10 minutes and three hours after ingestion, and may include numbness and tingling around the mouth, face, hands and feet, difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, paralysis and respiratory failure, In severe cases it can be fatal.

Anyone becomes ill after eating shellfish from an area where a public health warning has been issued is advised to phone Healthline (0800 611-116), or to seek medical attention immediately. They should also contact their nearest public health unit, and keep any leftover shellfish in case it can be tested.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northland Age

Northland Age

Kaitāia Airport's $5.4m upgrade progresses with regular iwi meetings

Northland Age

Kāinga Ora scraps 450 new Northland houses, deepening shortage

Northland Age

School lunch programme saves $130m, student satisfaction rises, Govt says


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northland Age

Kaitāia Airport's $5.4m upgrade progresses with regular iwi meetings
Northland Age

Kaitāia Airport's $5.4m upgrade progresses with regular iwi meetings

Ngāi Takoto will purchase Kaitāia Airport in line with their Treaty settlement provisions.

14 Jul 12:00 AM
Kāinga Ora scraps 450 new Northland houses, deepening shortage
Northland Age

Kāinga Ora scraps 450 new Northland houses, deepening shortage

11 Jul 05:00 PM
School lunch programme saves $130m, student satisfaction rises, Govt says
Northland Age

School lunch programme saves $130m, student satisfaction rises, Govt says

10 Jul 02:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northland Age e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to The Northland Age
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northland Age
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP