Salmonids - a time of great change

摘要

There is great press agitation in the European, especially the UK, press at the moment over the recurrence this summer of Pseudo- nietszchia toxin within shellfish and particularly Pectin scallops. These bivalves filter and retain the toxin, which is one of a range of planktonic algal toxins that cause various human illnesses such as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning or ASP, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning or PSP, and Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning or DSP when humans consume the shellfish. The shellfish are unharmed, and farmed or wild fish swimming in areas of blooms of the toxic algae are unaffected and do not concentrate the toxin. It has always been a tradition, for good though rarely understood reason,that one should not eat shellfish unless there isan 'R' in the month. Thus in the past, no shellfish were harvested in May, June, July, and August - the key algal bloom period. Nowadays we know more about the underlying toxins causing such concerns, but we also have a big demand for shellfish in summe