<I>KEVIN?HEIMBIGNER/Chinook Observer</I><BR>Science tech III Alan Sarich at Willapa Bay Field Station is testing ocean water for toxins.

NAHCOTTA – Last month the plans for literally thousands of razor clam diggers were aborted because of a raised level of saxitoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). PSP can occur when filter-feeding shellfish ingest the one-celled dinoflaggelate Alexandrium. PSP is 1,100 times more deadly than cyanide and 55 times more lethal than strychnine.

The Washington Department of Health and Office of Shellfish and Water Protection discovered 82 micrograms per 100 grams of pureed razor clams that were taken from three locations on the Long Beach Peninsula prior to the scheduled dig. The limit is 80 micrograms, which amounts to 80 parts of PSP per 100 million of razor clam meat.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Dan Ayers explained, “It is frustrating to be so close to having an opening, but with something like PSP we have no choice but to go with the health department’s standards. We were able to test other beaches in Washington and were able to rescue the dig for everywhere else as they were below the danger level of PSP.” Twin Harbors Area G came in next-highest with 58 micrograms of saxitoxin on Jan. 28 and beaches on the northern Oregon coast were also open for razor clams.

Domoic acid levels caused by razor clams ingesting the diatom pseudo-nitzschia were two parts per million and well within the acceptable level of 20. Domoic acid is the cause for amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). Both PSP and ASP in early tests this month were at acceptable levels and the upcoming razor clam dig scheduled for Feb. 27 to 28 looks favorable, although further tests will be conducted over the next two weeks.

The January level of PSP came as a surprise to science tech III Alan Sarich at Willapa Bay Field Station. He said, “I test ocean water samples at least twice a week for pseudo-nitzschia, Alexandrium, and Akashiwo sanguinea, the algae that caused the recent bird die off. I didn’t find any significant levels of the PSP-causing dinoflaggelate Alexandrium. It can occur on the ocean floor in cyst form and that may have been how it got into the clams.”

Algal blooms can be caused by several factors including warming water due to El Nino, increased runoff of nutrients due to heavy rain, and changes in the salinity of the water. High surf conditions can also cause harmful changes in some algae cells due to the churning affect.

In 1993 the level of PSP on the Long Beach Peninsula was around 800 parts per 100 million or 10 times more toxic than the razor clams last month. Razor clamming was closed for a year due to PSP. In Kodiak, Alaska during the summer of 1993 one death and several illnesses were attributed to blue mussels containing 19,600 micrograms of saxitoxin. Sarich said, “Saxitoxin can stay in shellfish up to a year, maybe even longer.”

According to the Alaska Marine Resources Oct. 1996 publication long-term residents (more than 23 years) in Kodiak were 12 times more likely to report symptoms of PSP than new-comers. There was no evidence of a Red Tide or discoloration of the water or beach during the deadly event. Sarich related, “When the beach here has the darkest brown algae that is favorable for razor clams as that type of algae is harmless and is an excellent food source for them.”

The toxins responsible for PSP and ASP are water-soluble, heat and acid-stable, and ordinary cooking methods do not eliminate them. The most common side affect of PSP is tingling of the skin of the neck, arms or legs and numbness of the lips, tongue and face. These symptoms occur from five to 30 minutes after ingesting toxic shellfish. Extreme cases can cause total paralysis and can be fatal. Children are more susceptible to PSP toxin as their mortality rate is 14 percent compared to nine percent for adults.

Calling 911 immediately upon recognizing symptoms of PSP is imperative. Treatment of PSP is to induce vomiting if the patient is conscious and maintain ventilatory assistance as needed, including CPR. In two cases in Kodiak both patients experienced severe symptoms from PSP. One person died due to cardiac arrest caused by PSP-caused paralysis and the other survived. He recovered fully within 12 hours, which is a common occurrence in 85 to 90 percent of the cases. One health problem is when people suffer symptoms, but do not recognize them or fail to report them.

Pacific razor clams (siliqua patula) on the Long Beach Peninsula are routinely tested by the Washington Department of Health. Clams are retrieved from three test locations twice a week and are sent whole to a laboratory in Shoreline. The shells are removed as is the viscera, leaving only what would be eaten. That is then pureed and examined for PSP and ASP toxins as part of the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom program. More frequent tests are done when harmful diatoms and dinoflaggelate are found in water samples taken by Sarich and examined at the Nahcotta shellfish lab.

Sarich said, “Typically PSP levels are highest in May and June. The January count was a surprise and a puzzle. As our technology improves and we get more long-term information we are hoping to see more patterns in algal blooms.”

In the meantime it is reassuring that research is on-going to protect the shellfish consumer-even if it means missing a clam tide once in awhile. For up-dates on razor clam openings go to or call 1-866-880-5431.