Environment

Toxins from harmful algal bloom shut down razor clamming on Washington beaches


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A potentially record-setting season f or razor clam digging in Washington has come to a screeching halt. Warm water off the coast has helped toxic algae thrive, rendering the clams unsafe to eat. Some species of algae that razor clams feed on produce domoic acid . It’s a neurotoxin that at high levels can cause brain damage in humans and other vertebrates. Tests in mid-October showed the levels of this toxin had reached unsafe levels. The clams are unaffected, but they concentrate it in their
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EnvironmentBy KNKX Public Radio