What is Domoic Acid?

Domoic acid is a naturally occurring toxin related to a “bloom” of certain single-celled algae.

Fish and shellfish are capable of accumulating elevated levels of domoic acid in their tissue, leading to illness if consumed by humans.

During late 2015 through early 2016, domoic acid along the West Coast interrupted Dungeness and rock crab fisheries from Santa Barbara to the Oregon state line.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are working with the fishing community to collect crab samples from the northern California coast until the domoic acid levels have dissipated.

For more information, visit www.cdph.ca.gov.



source: California Department of Fish and Wildlife