A press release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of El Salvador reads:

In light of the presence of a red tide, a ban is in place, starting today and indefinitely on fishing, sale and consumption of oysters, mussels, clams, snails and abalone, whether they come from .domestic production or imports.

the ban does not apply to products such as "’Curil’ or ‘concha negra’ (black shell clams) ‘curilillas’, ‘casco de burro’ (giant ark clams), crabs, lobsters, squid, shrimp and fish, because their diet is free of contamination, in contrast to the forbidden products which contain toxins harmful to human health.

The measure, adopted as a precaution by the Ministries of Agriculture, Public Health and Environment and Natural Resources, through the National Red Tide Commission

(CONAMA), indicates that the ban on oysters (pearl or native, Japanese or Pacific), mussels, clams, snails and abalone, is due to the fact that the diet of these species, filter feeders, means they can accumulate toxic substances harmful to the health of the population.

In order to exclude from the ban ‘concha negra’ and casco de burro’, CONAMAR analyzed laboratory results from samples taken in different parts of the country. The results show no contamination, which means that people can eat them with confidence.

Source: Agriculture and Livestock Ministry of El Salvador

More on this topic

El Salvador Declares End to Shellfish Ban

October 2012

Following the disappearance of the red tide, fishing, importing and marketing of shellfish are once again permitted.

The ban was in effect from September 19, after the National Red Tide Commission found high levels of toxins harmful for human consumption, in some molluscs.

El Salvador: Seafood Ban

August 2011

The Salvadoran authorities have banned the extraction, sale and consumption of seafood after declaring a red tide alert.

The ban, which is for a period of one month, applies to pearl oysters, Japanese oysters, mussels, snails and abalone.

The measure, adopted as a precaution by the Ministries of Agriculture, Public Health and Environment and Natural Resources, through the National Red Tide Commission (CONAMA), indicates that the ban on oysters (pearl or native, Japanese or Pacific), mussels, clams, snails and abalone, is due to the fact that the diet of these species, filter feeders, means they can accumulating toxic substances harmful to the health of the population.