Eday shellfish warning update

Further testing by the Food Standards Agency (Scotland) has confirmed the presence of naturally occurring toxins in shellfish harvested from the Fersness Bay area of Eday.

Commercial harvesting of shellfish in the area is still banned.

Warning notices were posted along the shore when earlier tests detected the presence of toxin producing plankton in the Fersness Bay area. The toxins can accumulate in filter feeding shellfish such as razor fish (spoots), scallops, mussels or cockles and cause illness if affected shellfish are consumed.

The latest tests have shown that the “biotoxin” that can cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is present in shellfish from the Fersness Bay area.

Orkney Islands Council is working with the Food Standards Agency and local shellfish harvesters and monitoring continues in the area.

The warning notices will be removed – and the ban on commercial harvesting lifted – when the levels subside sufficiently.