Handling Shellfish

Keep shellfish cool after harvesting. If the temperature of shellfish is allowed to rise, bacteria will grow and the shellfish will become unsafe to eat.

Storage of Shellfish

If you intend to store your shellfish, do it properly. Here are some safe storage guidelines:

Fresh Shellfish in the Shell: All fresh shellfish should be stored in an open container in the refrigerator with a damp towel on top to maintain humidity. Never store shellfish in water. They will die and may spoil. Shellfish that are gaping open and do not close when tapped are dead. They should be thrown out.

Storage times for shellfish vary:

• Shellfish that can close their shells completely can be stored for up to seven days. This includes oysters, littlenecks, butter clams, and cockles.
• Shellfish that can not completely close their shells can be stored for three to four days. This includes horse clams, softshell clams, geoducks, and razor clams.
• Mussels can be stored for three to four days.
• Shucked Shellfish: Shellfish removed from their shells should keep in a refrigerator for up to three days. In a freezer they should keep for up to three months.
• Cooked Shellfish: Cooked shellfish should keep in a refrigerator for up to two days and in a freezer up to three months.
• Thawed Shellfish: Shellfish taken from the freezer and thawed in a refrigerator should keep for up to two days. Shellfish that have been frozen and thawed must not be refrozen.

Cooking Shellfish

There are many ways to prepare shellfish. Below are some recommended methods.

• Use small pots when boiling or steaming shellfish. If too many are cooked in the pot, the ones in the middle may not get thoroughly cooked. Discard any bivalve shellfish that do not open.
• Live bivalve shellfish should be boiled in water for three to five minutes or steamed in a preheated steamer for four to nine minutes after the shell has opened.
• Live oysters in the shell should be baked at least ten minutes at 450° F.
• Shucked oysters should be cooked for at least three minutes in the following ways:
  a) Boiled or simmered;
  b) Fried in 375° F oil;
  c) Broiled three inches from the heat.
• Shrimp should be cooked for eight minutes once the water has returned to a full boil.
• Crab should be cooked for a minimum of 15 minutes once the water has returned to a full boil.

For more information please contact the Health District’s Water Quality Program at (360) 337-5235, Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.