Closed area beaches, lakes, crabbing

The Washington state Department of Health has issued area lake and beach closures and closed recreational shellfish harvesting due to toxins.

All waters around the entire San Juan archipelago from the southeast tip of Guemes Island west and north to Canadian waters and southwest to northern Whidbey Island is a Marine Biotoxin Closure Zone closed for harvesting all species including clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters, snails and other invertebrates, but not crab or shrimp.

Beaches closed for all species of shellfish harvesting include: Bay View State Park, March Point Recreational Area, Samish Island Recreational Area and North and South Skagit Wildlife Area.

Lake Campbell was closed until further notice due to high microcystin level, toxic blue green algae, Skagit County Public Health reported Aug. 18. Test samples Aug. 16 and 22 exceeded safe limits.

Pass Lake was also listed as closed Aug. 29. Microcystin samples exceeded safe limit in an Aug. 7 test.

Cyanobacteria, blue-green algae, can produce toxins at levels that are harmful to humans, pets, domestic animals and wildlife. There is no way to detect toxins in an algae bloom except through laboratory analysis.

Lake test results posted at Washington State Toxic Algae: nwtoxicalgae.org/Default.aspx.

Shellfish status: fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html.

Questions, email Samantha Russell: [email protected].