The public have been advised not to collect or consume shellfish gathered near Gisborne's Tolaga Bay after routine tests by New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) showed unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish toxins.
Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include numbness and a tingling feeling around the mouth, face, hands and feet, difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness and headaches, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, paralysis, respiratory failure and in severe cases, death.
Symptoms usually appear within 10 minutes to three hours of eating the shellfish.
The warning extends from Tatapouri Point north of Gisborne to Koutunui Point in Tokamaru Bay, NZFS said.
NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle warned people not to gather or eat shellfish from the area because anyone doing so could get sick.
"Cooking the shellfish does not remove the toxin, so shellfish from this area should not be eaten."
However, NZFS said that pāua, crab and crayfish can be eaten provided that the gut is completely removed prior to cooking, as toxins accumulate in the gut. If it is not removed, its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.
Anyone who becomes ill after eating shellfish from an area where a public health warning has been issued is urged to contact their nearest public health unit and keep any leftover shellfish for testing.
"NZFS is monitoring shellfish in the region and will notify the public of any changes to the situation," Arbuckle said.
Commercially harvested shellfish — sold in shops and supermarkets or exported — is subject to strict water and flesh monitoring programmes by NZFS to ensure they are safe to eat.
No cases of associated illness have been reported to NZFS.
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