Lüderitz abalone fit for consumption
04 February 2019 | Local News
Two consecutive re-tests produced negative results, and abalone may therefore be harvested for direct human consumption.
Acting executive director of fisheries and marine resources Ueritjiua Kauaria explained that abalone samples from the Lüderitz production area were collected and submitted for testing of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).
This was done during the most recent official sampling and testing facilitated by the Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) as guided by the National Shellfish Sanitation Programme.
Kauaria issued a warning on behalf of the MFMR on 11 January and cautioned members of the public not to consume abalone from the Luderitz area after a harmful algal bloom was detected.
He said this was due to the presence of bio toxin producing algae and high level values of PSP in abalone determined during routine testing conducted by the NSI.
PSP is a naturally occurring toxin produced by some species of microscopic algae and which concentrate in molluscan shellfish. This can cause severe illness and death in humans if consumed.