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HOLIDAY, Fla. - The scallop season in Pasco County is temporarily on hold after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said unsafe levels of potentially harmful toxins were detected.
What we know:
According to the FWC, levels of saxitoxin and Pyrodinium bahamense tested higher than the safety thresholds established by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.
Saaxitoxin and Pyrodinium bahamense can cause a foodborne illness known as paralytic shellfish poisoning, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The Pasco Zone – which includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County – will remain closed for scallop harvesting until it is deemed safe to reopen.
Florida scallop season 2025: Here’s what to know
The FWC says the area is still safe for other activities, including fishing, boating and swimming.
Other scallop harvest zones remain open. For a closer look, click here.
The 2025 recreational bay scallop season is on hold in Pasco County.
Dig deeper:
Scallop season in Pasco County was also put on hold last year because high levels of the same toxins were detected. The season was ultimately extended until late September 2024.
What's next:
Scallop season started in Pasco County on July 10 and is scheduled to run through Aug. 18.
It's not clear whether this season will be extended.
The Source: This story was written with information from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the National Institutes of Health and previous FOX 13 News reports.