NIFS said this year’s first paralytic toxins of 0.9mg/kg, in excess of the permissible paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) level (0.8mg/kg), were detected in the wild mussels from the coast of Sibang-ri, Geoje-si, Gyeongnam-do Province. 

*Shellfish toxins refer to the toxins that accumulate in the body of shellfish (clams) or tunicates (sea squirt, styela clava, etc.) when they consume toxic plankton as food. Among them, particularly, PSP toxins occur in Korean coastal waters, but when and where they occur vary from year to year. 

0.4~0.6 mg/kg toxins were detected in the coast of Youho-ri - adjacent to Sibang-ri -, and Neungpo-dong while zero toxins from six stations such as Busan, Gyeongnam, and Gyeongbuk. Gyeongsangnam-do Province, particularly, is tightening oversight over the sea areas surpassing the allowed PSP level by prohibiting shellfish or tunicate harvesting and placing a banner.

With the sea areas are expected to gradually expand where PSP toxins are detected and paralytic toxin levels surpass the allowed level, NIFS in coordination with local governments will strengthen oversight over sea areas where the paralytic toxins were detected along with adjacent areas by conducting close monitoring more than once a week.

The state of PSP toxins outbreak can be checked on the NIFS official website (www.nifs.go.kr).