Officials Warn: Don't Eat These!

#1 Don't Eat These!

Department of Public Health is warning people not to eat crabs caught along the California coast until further notice. The warning will soon be issued for the coastal areas of Oregon as well.

#2 Deadly Levels of Acid Discovered In Crabs.

Potentially deadly levels of domoic acid have been found in the Dungeness and rock crabs found along the coastline between Oregon and Santa Barbara County's southern border. The amounts have exceeded the state's action level and is posing a significant risk to the public if consumed.

#3 El Niño The Cause Of The Poisoning.

Warmer waters caused by El NiÃ±o are to blame for the bloom of algae known as Psuedo-nitzschia, which can be toxic to other marine life and humans.

#4 Warnings Issued Not To Consume.

Ingestion of toxic crabs can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and headache and those are just the mild symptoms, according to public health officials. These symptoms can appear within 30 minutes to 24 hours after consuming contaminated seafood, and may last for days.

#5 Health Department Say No Fishing.

The warning issue will be devastating to crabbers, who earn their living particularly during crab season, which begins in November. Crab season is being delayed while the Department of Public Health performs tests along the entire west coastline, stretching in to Alaska, for the infected crabs. Meanwhile a "No Crabbing" alert has been issued.

#6 The Toxins Are Enough To Kill Humans.

Restaurants and shops awaiting the delivery of fresh crabs will be disappointed as the health department has issued that all crabs caught in the last 45 days be destroyed and that hungry consumers not eat the toxic crabs. Severe poisoning is enough to kill a person, or lead to permanent short-term memory loss, comas, seizures and other symptoms. However, no illnesses have been reported so far.

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