Watershed Management Bureau

  Shellfish Program

    Monitoring Programs: PSP/Red Tide

"Red Tide" Monitoring: The waters of the Gulf of Maine are prone to blooms of microscopic plants which produce a toxin that can cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning. On a weekly basis from April through October, the DES Shellfish Program and the NH Fish and Game Department collect blue mussel samples from Hampton/Seabrook Harbor, and from the Isles of Shoals, to monitor toxin levels in shellfish meats. Data from nearby sites in Maine are also considered in determining whether or not harvesting is safe.