Surf Clam Fishing Halted Due to Red Tide
Federal officials have closed Georges Bank to fishing for surf clams, the tough bivalves used in stews and chowders, for 90 days because of red tide.
It apparently was the first time in the roughly five years that surf clams have been extensively fished there that the bank 100 miles east of Cape Cod was closed because of red tide, said Brian Gorman of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
No contaminated clams have entered the market, a National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman said Thursday. The three clam fishing vessels plying the Georges Bank have stopped, and Canadians who fish nearby were warned of the problem.
Red tide is an algae-like organism found in shellfish. Its toxin causes a tingling sensation on the tongue and lips, and poisoning can lead to respiratory failure and death.
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