CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat Internal Organs ​from Sport-Harvested Dungeness

November 1, 2024

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers to not eat the internal organs (viscera) of Dungeness crab caught from two coastal areas of northern California.

This warning is in effect for state waters located at:

Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6' N. Latitude) to Cape Mendocino (40 10° N. Latitude), and
​​Sonoma/Mendocino county line (38° 46.125' N. Latitude) to Point Reyes (38⁰ 0.00' N. Latitude). ​
The recreational Dungeness crab season for California anglers begins on Saturday, November 2, 2024. 

Dangerous levels of domoic acid, also referred to as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, have been detected in the internal organs (viscera) of Dungeness crab caught from northern California. Domoic Acid is a naturally occurring biotoxin. Cooking the crab does not decrease or destroy the toxin.

Consumers are advised to always discard the viscera and cooking liquids and adhere to the following best preparation practices to avoid any inadvertent exposure to domoic acid that may be sporadically found in the crab's viscera. It is always best to remove the viscera and rinse out the body cavity prior to cooking, i.e., boil, steam, or fry. If whole crab is cooked in liquid, domoic acid may leach into the cooking liquid. The cooking water or broth should be discarded and not used to prepare dishes such as sauces, broth, soups, or stews (for example, cioppino or gumbo), stocks, roux, dressings, or dips.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma, or death. 

CDPH continues to coordinate its efforts with the California Department ​of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the fishing community to collect and test crab samples from the impacted areas until domoic acid levels have dissipated. Please contact CDFW for information about the recreational Dungeness crab season.

Test results are updated as laboratory results become available and can be viewed on the CDPH Domoic Acid web page. Please visit CDPH's Domoic Acid FAQ for more information. To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH's toll-free “Shellfish Information Line" at (800) 553-4133.