New Zealand warns against eating wild shellfish from Bay of Plenty due to deadly toxin, no illnesses reported yet.

New Zealand Food Safety warns against collecting or eating wild shellfish from the Bay of Plenty coast between Maketu Beach and Waihi Beach due to unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish toxin, likely from an algal bloom. All bivalves, including mussels, oysters, and pipi, are unsafe, and cooking won’t remove the toxin. Symptoms like numbness, paralysis, and respiratory failure can occur within minutes to hours. Pāua, crab, and crayfish may be safe if gutted, and finfish are safe if liver and gut are removed. No illnesses have been reported, but anyone who becomes ill should seek medical help and preserve shellfish for testing. The alert remains in effect until further notice.