The catching and marketing of several varieties of shellfish has been prohibited in Huelva province.
The provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Department has banned the catching and marketing of several species of shellfish due to the detection of higher than permitted levels of the microalgae DSP.
Tests on shellfish are carried out on an ongoing basis and bans are regularly imposed or lifted as and when necessary.
The latest bans involve clams (donax trunculus) and razor clams (solen marginatus). The catching of clams is now prohibited along the entire Huelva coastline. For razor clams, the ban relates to the area from the mouth of the río Piedras to playa de la Bota.
Fishing for shellfish requires a license in Andalucía, the authorities keen to preserve both the fish stocks and the livelihoods of fishermen. Fines for the unauthorised catching of bivalves range from €301to €60,000.