CDPH Lifts Warnings about Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish from San Diego County 

June 5, 2025  

SN25-011​ 

What You Need to Know: CDPH has lifted two warnings that advised against eating recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish from San Diego County waters. The annual mussel quarantine for recreationally harvested mussels along the entire California coast remains in effect.  

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has lifted two shellfish safety notifications related to sport-harvested scallops, clams, and oysters from San Diego County.  

The safety notifications were issued on April 2, 2025, due to dangerous levels of domoic acid, also referred to as amnesic shellfish poisoning, and April 14, 2025, due to dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins. These naturally occurring toxins can cause illness or death in humans. Recent testing shows domoic acid and paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins have decreased to safe or undetectable levels for bivalve shellfish in this area. 

The annual mussel quarantine remains in effect for the entire California coast. The annual quarantine prohibits the sport-harvest of mussels for human consumption and applies to all species of mussels harvested along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries. The purpose of the quarantine, which will continue through at least October 31, is to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid poisoning.  Cooking does not destroy the toxins.  

You can get the most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines by calling CDPH’​s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133 or viewing the recreational bivalve shellfish advisory interactive map. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring web page.  ​​​​