The harvesting and commercialization of bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates, and marine gastropods has been banned in zone L5a Peniche Coast – Cabo Raso, in Portugal. The ban is due to the presence of toxins and other reasons, as per the updated communication on September 3, 2026.
In the covered zone, the limpet is prohibited due to chemical contaminants, specifically cadmium. The mussel is also banned due to the presence of lipophilic biotoxins, which cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Only the sea urchin maintains open activity in this zone.
The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) provides detailed information on all bans and harmful phytoplankton alerts through informative platforms that allow consultation of phytoplankton concentration distribution and established alert limits.
The communication also includes a technical explanation of what bivalve mollusks are, describing them as soft-bodied animals protected by a two-valved shell exoskeleton, and clarifies the sanitary classifications applied, with Class B corresponding to E. coli levels between 4600 and 46000 MPN/100 g.
