Poison warning on shellfish

A paralytic shellfish poison warning has put collecting or eating shellfish from the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour to Ohawe in South Taranaki off limits.

The area excludes the Manukau, Kaipara and Kawhia Harbours.

The poison exceeds safe levels in shellfish routinely monitored along the coastline.

The public warning from Dr David Sinclair, medical officer of health for the Auckland District Health Board's regional public health service, includes scallops, tuatua, cockles, oysters, mussels, pipi, catseyes or pupu and kina or sea urchin.

The gut of paua, crayfish and crabs from the area should not be eaten.

Anyone who becomes ill after eating shellfish should contact their doctor.

Meanwhile, recreational fishers will be able to take up to 250 oysters a day in the outer Bay of Islands and the outer Whangaruru Harbour from Thursday.

Senior fisheries adviser Dave Allen said the area had been closed to protect the native rock oyster, but now the Pacific oyster had become abundant there.

- NZPA