More Scottish seafood trouble after common cockles pulled from market over toxins

Argyll and Bute Council in Scotland has issued a warning against eating common cockles from the local loch after environmental searches suggested dangerously-increased levels of bacteria.

Published today, the announcement said cockles from Campbeltown Loch at Kildalloig Bay should not be put on the market for the next two months, from 1 August to 30 September, due to the potential "risk to human health".

Commercial harvesters have been contacted while signs around the area itself will warn the public of the possible hazard.

The decision comes following a slew of bad news for Scottish shellfish, with Shetland mussels withdrawn due to high levels of toxins late last month, and a shellfish toxin warning issued for Fife just weeks before that.

It is thought that the micro bacteria causing the increased toxin levels are due to naturally-occurring algae growth, spurred on by the recent unusually warm weather.

Shetland mussels withdrawn after toxins and poisoning reported >>