Public Health Warns Against Eating Raw Fish and Shellfish

(stock photo)

Update by Santa Barbara County Public Health Department
January 30, 2018

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is issuing a warning to the public to avoid consuming raw fish and raw shellfish caught close to ocean waters where bacterial levels continue to be elevated, such as Goleta Beach and Carpinteria State Beach. People doing recreational fishing from a pier or boat close to beaches where oceans waters have exceeded bacterial standards should be aware that eating uncooked or undercooked seafood products could expose them to bacteria. These bacteria can cause illness if ingested.

The Public Health Department will continue to test the beach ocean waters and update our community when new results are available. Ocean water testing, and this warning about consumption of recreationally caught fish and shellfish, will be lifted when bacterial levels decrease below standards.

Source: Santa Barbara County Public Health Department
January 21, 2018

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Dept. is issuing a warning to the public to avoid consuming recreational harvested raw shellfish caught in ocean waters where bacterial levels continue to be elevated. Ocean water testing since January 11 has shown markedly elevated levels of coliform bacteria along beaches from El Capitan to Carpinteria. The public is reminded to cook all locally caught seafood thoroughly before consumption, especially molluscan shellfish which are filter feeders and concentrate contaminants.

Ocean water testing will continue and this warning about consumption of recreationally caught shellfish will be lifted when test results warrant.