Toxins detected in Hawke Bay shellfish
A shellfish biotoxin alert has been published by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for Hawke Bay.
Routine testing found shellfish samples collected from Pania Reef contained Paralytic Shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in excess of the safe limit of 0.8mg/kg set by MPI.
The warning covers the area between the Mohaka River mouth to the top of Cape Kidnappers.
In a statement, MPI said that they continue to monitor toxin levels, with stricter monitoring programmes for commercially harvested shellfish.
"Any changes will be communicated accordingly... There are no commercial shellfish farms in the affected region."
Here's what you need to know:
- The public are advised not to eat Mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles, scallops, catseyes, kina (sea urchin), and all other bivalve shellfish.
- Pāua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking.
- Symptoms of poisoning typically appear 10 minutes to three hours after ingestion and can include numbness and a tingling (prickly feeling) around the mouth, face, and extremities (hands and feet), difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea paralysis and respiratory failure, and in severe cases, death.
Members of the public who have become ill after ingesting the affected shellfish should get in touch with Healthline (0800 61 11 16) or seek medical attention immediately. Keep any shellfish leftover for testing.
Find out more about the alert by heading to the Ministry for Primary Industries website.
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Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Facebook Marketplace Scams
Police are urging members of the public to be aware of Facebook Marketplace scams, in particular tiny home, shipping container and portable cabin home scams targeting Hawke’s Bay and the Eastern Police District.
Multiple people have seen the different listings and either paid deposits or the full price into various bank accounts.
Once the victim transfers money, the scammer deletes the listing, all the messages and blocks them.
In one case a victim has lost $10,000, with further victims losing in the thousands.
In many of these cases the offenders are based overseas and our ability to recover the funds transferred is limited.
“We are urging members of the community to think twice before transferring money for items on Facebook and other social media platforms.” says Senior Constable Gillon.
Anyone who has been affected by this scam is encouraged to contact Police online or via 105.
Senior Constable Gillon says if you decide to purchase off social media, we encourage you to take precautions to protect yourself.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀:
💸 Insist on meeting to conduct transactions and examine the item before completing the transaction.
💸 Meet in a public place and take a friend. DO NOT go into someone’s house or allow them into yours.
💸 DO NOT deposit money into another person’s account before you have received the item.
💸 Learning more about the person you are buying from or selling to.
💸 You can tap on a person's profile on the product listing page to see if you have any friends in common, their marketplace activity, and any ratings they may have received.
💸 Ensure friends and family, especially anyone vulnerable, understand what to do to protect themselves.
💸 Be the person to provide that ongoing support and advice.
💸 Trust your instincts – if it’s too good to be true or sounds like a scam, it probably is.
If you believe you are or have been a victim of fraud, contact Police at www.police.govt.nz..., or call Police on 105 and report the matter. If you have handed over your bank details, contact your bank and immediately suspend your account.
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