Samish Bay, Fidalgo Bay closed for shellfish harvesting

The state earlier had closed Fidalgo Bay, Bellingham Bay and Lopez Island beaches to recreational shellfish harvesting. The Skagit County Health Department warned people to avoid shellfish from county beaches unless the shellfish was commercially harvested.

Commercial shellfish are safe because they are tested before being set to market.

Previous closures of Sinclair and Cypress islands remain in effect.

Shellfish beaches around Puget Sound are routinely tested for marine biotoxins and some pollutants, such as fecal coliform bacteria.

For information, call the state’s Shellfish Safety Hotline at 1-800-562-5632 or visit the state Health Department's Web site.