Catching your own Seafood top of the page Check with local health authorities or fish and game officials to see if health advisories have been issued, warning against fishing from certain local waters or against consuming certain species from those waters, especially if you fish in the same area often and use your catch to stock your freezer. Gathering your own shellfish is not recommended. A serious illness called paralytic shellfish poisoning or PSP, is caused by poisons concentrated in clams, mussels, geoducks, oysters, snails and scallops. These marine bivalve shellfish feed on tiny microorganisms, called dinoflagellates, which contain the toxin. Shrimp, crab and fish do not ever contain this toxin.
Symptoms come about quickly.
Within minutes or from one to two hours, a tingling sensation or burning of the lips, gums, or tongue will begin. Numbness and tingling can extend to the face, gradually progressing to the neck and fingers and toes, with the loss of control of the legs and arms, depending on the amount of toxin in the body. If large amounts have been ingested, symptoms might also include dryness of the mouth, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, lack of coordination, and a choking sensation in the throat and confused or slurred speech. While it seldom occurs, death can result from respiratory paralysis usually within 12 hours. Getting the patient to the hospital is the only course of action to follow.