2026 Amnesic Shellfish Toxin (AST) Event Bantry.

Quantifiable concentrations of Domoic Acid (Amnesic Shellfish Toxin(AST)) above regulatory levels have been observed in mussel samples this week (w/c 13th April) from Adrigole and Gearies East and have been assigned Closed status. Elsewhere within Inner Bantry sites (Snave, North Chapel, Newtown and South Chapel) and Castletownbere, quantifiable concentrations of Domoic Acid (below regulatory limits) have been observed in mussels due to decreasing cell densities of Pseudo-nitzschia seriata. This AST event correlates with increases and decreases in cell numbers of the causative AST phytoplankton species within the genus, Pseudo-nitzschia seriata group, which have been observed in production sites within Bantry during from w/c 23-03-26 to present week (w/c 13-04-26). Pseudo-nitzschia seriata cell densities can increase rapidly, causing AST toxicity to rapidly accumulate in shellfish species which can reach very high concentrations in a short duration of time. It is advised that both shellfish and water samples from the SouthWest are taken and submitted to the relevant laboratories for shellfish toxin and phytoplankton analysis as soon as possible at the beginning of each production week frequency.