SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Health officials say another swath of California’s coast has been cleared for the catching and eating of Dungeness crabs because they no longer show high levels of a marine toxin.
Public Health Officer Karen Smith on Friday lifted a health advisory for the popular crustaceans in Sonoma County that had been in effect since November.
Last month the ban was lifted form Monterey County to Pt. Reyes north of San Francisco. Now the ban remains in place only for the coast north of Sonoma County.
The ban came after testing showed unhealthy levels of domoic acid, a toxin that can cause gastrointestinal illness. The state still recommends not eating the crabs’ viscera, cooking them thoroughly, and throwing out any liquid they’re cooked in.
The commercial crabbing season is still on hold over the toxin.