Hawkes Bay toxic shellfish

Hawkes Bay coastline remains closed to seafood gathering due to a potentially fatal shellfish toxin.

Hawke's Bay District Health Board advised that the coastline between Whareongaonga, about 22km north of Mahia, and Cape Turnagain in the south remained closed to the collection of shellfish because of the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin.

Whareongaonga up to East Cape and areas of Auckland, Taranaki, and Waikato coastlines are also closed.

Kina, mussels, toheroa, pipis, tuatua, oysters and cockles in the closed area should not be eaten, the board said.

Paua, crab, and crayfish could be eaten if the gut had been completely removed before cooking.