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Post by Admin on Apr 5, 2016 16:42:40 GMT
To: Alex Manderson ODA, Rep.DavidGomberg, Steve Card News Times, Caren Braby ODFW, Steven S Rumrill ODFW, theworldnews, Tracy Loew Statesman Journal, Julie Tasnady Governor's Office, Rep.CaddyMcKeown, Senator, Arnie Roblan
Dear Alex, Bill Lackner here. The levels of Domoic Acid contamination in sampling of razor clams on the North Spit of Coos Bay have been extremely high. The test results posted below in RED have come down a little.
Our concern is the State is not testing the Dungeness crabs or red rock crabs in Coos Bay for elevated levels of Domoic Acid. Dungeness Crabs are a major predator of razor clams, which occur in great numbers inside Coos Bay and from the Ocean side of the North Spit.
We are requesting that the State test the Dungeness crabs taken from the area of Coos Bay associated with the razor clam beds associated with the North Spit.
Our request is based on our concern for the Public Safety and to restore faith in the testing protocol of the ODFW and ODA as stated on the Shellfish Hotline`
Coos Bay, North Jetty & Spit Razor Clams <37.0 87.0
Thank You for your consideration. The members of the CDAO are looking forward to your reply, William Lackner for the CDAO
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Post by Admin on Apr 11, 2016 9:39:11 GMT
We wish to thank Alex Manderson of the ODA for responding to our request for information which we have posted below. It is reassuring to the members of the clam digging and crabbing community that the State has been testing crabs taken from Coos Bay waters for elevated levels of Domoic Acid. However we do not support the ODA's decision to keep this information to themselves. First and foremost the public needs to know that the State is actually testing crabs for Marine Toxins. Secondly, the public needs to know the level of contamination disclosed in the test results of the crabs or Shellfish used in testing for marine toxins. The public needs to know if the level of marine toxins are rising or falling in contaminated crabs and/or shellfish?
The following is Alex Manderson's response to our email request, "Hi Bill, thanks for your question/request. We have actually been testing crab from the Coos Bay area both inside the bay and outside because of the elevated risk in this area. However, we made the decision not to post results from crab sampling on the website since this has traditionally been used just for displaying bivalve shellfish results. Crab have come back well below any safety concern level from samples taken around Coos Bay."
I hope this helps.
Alex Manderson
Food Safety and Animal Health Program
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Phone 503-842-2607
Dear Alex, However the failure to post testing information on the Shellfish Hotline Biotoxin Report causes confusion to those who use the information posted in the reports. Consider the following data from the Shellfish Hotline on 04/08.
The report for the Shellfish Hotline Biotoxin Data For Shellfish posted on 04/08 post no information on the level of Domoic Acid for razor clams taken from Coos Bay, North Jetty & Spit Razor Clams.
Are we, the members of the clam digging and crabbing community, to assume facts not stated? Does the level of contamination in razor clams on the North Spit of Coos Bay remain above the threshold level and does not need posting or was the information not posted for some other reason?
We recommend posting all of the testing results.
William Lackner
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Post by Admin on Apr 12, 2016 2:07:14 GMT
Success!!! Thank you Alex Manderson. Posting test results to the Shellfish Hotline will be good for everyone. Our thanks to the Alex Manderson and the rest of the people of the ODA. Thanks, Bill Lackner for the CDAO
Alex Manderson
9:36 AM
To: William Lackner
From: Alex Manderson (amanderson@oda.state.or.us)
Sent: Mon 4/11/16 9:36 AM
To: William Lackner (williamlackner001@msn.com)
Hello Bill,
thanks for your response. It seems perfectly reasonable and I have no problem adding crab info to the website. It’s easily done. I was just trying to keep things as simple as possible. Let me discuss this with my manager first and I’ll let you know if this is something others are good with.
Alex Manderson
Food Safety and Animal Health Program
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Phone 503-842-2607
amanderson@oda.state.or.us
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Post by Admin on Apr 15, 2016 17:20:06 GMT
Hello Bill,
I met with ODFW yesterday and the posting of crab results came up. They did not have an issue with it either so we will begin getting those on the website. I think we will create a separate link, one for shellfish and the other for crab. A reason for this is that we also decided to initiate routine crab sampling for the length of the Oregon coast year round. There is industry support for this and I believe also from the recreational side. This would also bring us more inline with what is happening in California and Washington. The plan then will be to collect several crab samples each month from around six ports from up and down the coast. Results will be put up on our shellfish website for the public to view if they wish.
Thanks,
Alex Manderson
Food Safety and Animal Health Program
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Phone 503-842-2607
amanderson@oda.state.or.us
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