Budd Inlet is closed to shellfish harvesting after biotoxin is detected

Thurston County health officials are warning people not to harvest shellfish in Budd Inlet after a harmful biotoxin was detected in samples.

According to a news release from the Thurston County Board of Commissioners, diuretic shellfish poison was found at unsafe levels in the shellfish. Eating shellfish infected with DSP can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Samples from Budd Inlet contained biotoxin levels of 19 micrograms per 100 grams, which is above the safe threshold of 16 micrograms, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Warning signs have been posted at public beaches throughout the area, from Percival Landing to Cooper Point on the west side and to Boston Harbor on the east.

According to the news release, DSP biotoxins can’t be destroyed by cooking or freezing the shellfish. Shellfish harvested commercially that are available in stores and restaurants are tested for toxin prior to distribution and are safe to eat.

Ty Vinson

The Olympian

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Ty Vinson covers the City of Olympia and keeps tabs on Tumwater and other communities in Thurston County. He joined The Olympian in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at the Northwest Indiana Times, the Oregonian and the Arizona Republic as a Pulliam Fellow. Support my work with a digital subscription