13/06/2026
New Zealand Food Safety is advising the public not to collect or consume shellfish gathered from the northern side of Banks Peninsula due to the risk of paralytic shellfish toxins causing illness.
The warning extends from New Brighton to the northern side of Hickory Bay. As the weather changes, this bloom could spread wider.
Affected shellfish include bivalve shellfish such as mussels, oysters, tuatua, p**i, toheroa, cockles and scallops, as well as pūpū (cat’s eyes), Cook’s turban and kina (sea urchin).
It’s important to know that cooking the shellfish does not remove the toxin, so shellfish from this area should not be eaten.
A visible bloom at the head of Port Levy has extremely high numbers of paralytic shellfish toxin producing algae.
Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning usually appear within 10 minutes to 3 hours of eating and may include:
• numbness and a tingling (prickly feeling) around the mouth, face, hands, and feet
• difficulty swallowing or breathing
• dizziness and headache
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhoea
• paralysis and respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death.
Pāua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking, as toxins accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed, its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.
Finfish are not affected by this public health warning, but we advise gutting the fish and discarding the liver before cooking.
For more details, see https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases/shellfish-biotoxin-warning-for-canterbury
