mussels

Are the Mendocino mussels safe to eat. I see them all over the rocks when I'm fishing but I also saw the quarantine signs about bacteria that makes them unsafe at certain times of the year. Are they completely safe when they are considered safe?

Call 800-553-4133, it's the California Shellfish toxin hotline. 

Yes, ALWAYS check the shellfish toxin hotline.

I've been eating Mendocino mussels since I was a kid, but if toxic, they can actually be deadly.
Another thing I learned it that they can only be legally picked by hand, with no use of tools.
And I don't recommend the big mussels. They are tough. Go with the midsized ones.
But I sure do love a bowl of steamed mussels with butter and garlic sauce, garlic bread, a salad, and white wine around a campfire with family and friends.