High PSP in Clams

Observation: The Sand Point clam sample for March 18, 2015 came back with elevated PSP levels of 209 micrograms which is above the FDA limit of 80 micrograms. The community of Sand Point is usually digging clams for subsistence this time of year. For a year now, the community of Sand Point hasn't been able to dig for clams.

LEO says: The lack of access to safe shellfish continues in Sand Point. The post provided by Sand Point is important for local food safety and also, potentially for other communities. Few Alaska communities have PSP monitoring programs for subsistence harvested shellfish. Whether Sand Point's results are an indication of the safety of shellfish in other areas is an important question. LEO Network appreciates the sharing of this observation and data to raise awareness about potential risk in other communities.

Note: QTT Tribe would like to acknowledge the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for funding and assistance with the analysis of shellfish. Learn at more about Paralytic Shellfish Pposoning (PSP), check out the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's, Alaska Seafood Processing Guidance fact sheet. For a larger version of the table image provided by QTT, please go to our Flickr site.