Food and Living Environment Section > Environmental Disease Education and Surveillance Program > Shellfish Program
Environmental Disease Education and Surveillance Program provides information to the public about potential disease in our environment.
Field collection of specimens for testing of certain diseases is also provided when funding is available to perform surveillance.
These diseases include West Nile virus, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, Bird Flu, and Hantavirus.
Shellfish Program
Shellfish Surveillance includes the collection of shellfish at a limited number of beaches for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).
These beaches include Edmonds waterfront for butter clams, Mukilteo Tank Farm for butter clams, Picnic Point for butter clams and
Everett Marina for blue mussels. Collection is done bi-weekly beginning in May and concluding in mid-September. After shellfish
have been collected, they are sent to the Washington State lab for analysis. Additional data is collected and reviewed by the
Washington State Department of Health. Depending upon PSP levels, notices are made about appropriate beach closures from harvesting.
Harmful Algae
Snohomish County Surface Water Program monitors harmful algae at certain lakes. When an alga of public health importance is found,
notice is made, signs are posted and information is provided to the public. Please contact Snohomish County Surface Water
Management at 425-388-3464 or visit their website at http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Public_Works/Divisions/SWM.htm
