The California Department of Public Health is warning people not to eat sport and recreationally caught shellfish due to high levels of toxins in mussels from Santa Barbara County.

The alert was issued Wednesday after tests showed mussels from the county had a higher level of the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins. The toxin could lead to PSP and domoic acid poisoning, also known as amnesic shellfish poisoning.

“The advisory is for recreational or personal harvesting of shellfish along the coast,” said Jason Johnston, the Environmental Health Services Director. “Because you can’t cook away that toxin, if you consume any of those bivalve mussels (…) you’re at risk of developing the paralytic shellfish poisoning.”

The warning from the CDPH states that anyone who eats the toxic mussels could develop “a loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing.”

More severe poisonings could lead to trouble breathing, confusion, and disorientation. Anyone who shows these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.

Commercially harvested shellfish in grocery stores, restaurants or fish markets are safe to consume, Public Health officials said. Shellfish caught by professional fishermen are required to undergo testing by the CDPH before they go to market.

“To minimize potential health risks, sport harvesters should not eat bivalve shellfish that are recreationally harvested during the summer months until the quarantine is lifted,” the advisory said.

The CDPH says that the toxin is naturally occurring and is linked to plankton eaten by shellfish – like mussels and clams.

To learn more about PSP and domoic acid poisoning, visit the Department of Public Health’s webpage.