CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat Razor Clams from Del Norte County
July 31, 2026
SN26-015
What You Need to Know: CDPH is advising the public not to eat sport-harvested razor clams gathered from Del Norte County due to dangerous levels of domoic acid.
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat sport-harvested razor clams from Del Norte County.
Dangerous levels of naturally occurring domoic acid, also referred to as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, have been detected in razor clams in Del Norte County. The naturally occurring domoic acid toxin can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin.
For Del Norte County, this warning only applies to razor clams as they are known to concentrate and retain domoic acid toxin in their meat and tissues at higher levels and for much longer than other species of bivalve shellfish.
This shellfish safety notification is in addition to the razor clam advisory for Humboldt County and to the annual mussel quarantine. The annual mussel quarantine prohibits the sport-harvest of mussels for human consumption and applies to all species of mussels harvested for human consumption along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries, and will continue through at least October 31. In addition, a shellfish safety notification remains in place for the Northern Channel Islands pending additional samples.
Symptoms of amnesic shellfish poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma, or death.
This warning does not apply to commercially sold mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.