MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Red tide alert, bivalves banned

Argentina: The authorities have issued a new red tide warning to remind the public that the ban on bivalves is still being enforced to avoid illness caused by the consumption of contaminated shellfish

The red tide ban effectively now covers the entire Argentine maritime coastline on account of the paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin (PSP) found in molluscs and gastropods all along the Patagonian coastline, which comprises Río Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces.

The National Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) banned catches and sales of bivalves from the Buenos Aires coast, from Samborombón Bay to Carmen de Patagones.

In December 2002, Chubut's Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Department ratified the ban on bivalve and gastropod catches on all of the province's coasts. At present, mollusc fishing is still forbidden in San Matías Gulf as well as harvesting scallop (Aequipecten tehuelchus) used for tripe.

In Santa Cruz the ban has been in force since 18 November, after there were several cases of poisoning from eating contaminated molluscs such as mussels, clams, cockles, oysters, scallops and others.

"The only form of prevention is to avoid eating bivalve molluscs during the red tide," said Jorge Layana, head of the Food Health Department in the Río Gallegos Municipality of Santa Cruz.

Senasa recommends that consumers should only buy products authorised by the food health service or other competent authorities.

Source : FIS