BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A shellfish harvesting ban has been lifted for part of Whatcom County as of Friday, Oct. 16.

The state Dept. of Health says that the closure impacted southern bodies of water, including Bellingham Bay, Chuckanut Bay, and Larrabee State Park. My Bellingham Now previously reported on the initial harvest closure September 30 after routine testing detected unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning

No other biotoxin closures are in effect for Whatcom County waters, but some areas remain closed due to high levels of pollution. All shellfish harvesters are reminded to check the state’s closure map before they head out and dig.