'Red Tide' Causes Shellfish Ban Along Portions Of Massachusetts Coastline

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) - Shellfishing has been banned along large portions of the Massachusetts coast because of toxic red tide.

The Gloucester Daily Times reports that the state Division of Marine Fisheries on Thursday banned harvesting of all softshell and razor clams.

That ban came the day after the harvest of blue mussels, carnivorous snails and whole sea scallops was prohibited because of elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poison, also known as red tide.

Eating contaminated shellfish, even when cooked, is potentially fatal to humans.

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