Places like Washington state have a long history of commercial oyster farming, and that means a long record of testing for deadly shellfish toxins. Alaska’s industry, by comparison, is relatively new. But that hasn’t stopped a growing number of people from becoming interested in cultivating oysters.
Alaskans are working together to try to make the industry safe and profitable. By tracking where paralytic shellfish poisoning occurs, more of the state’s seafood could make it to market.
Alaska’s shellfish producers have to go through rigorous testing routinely to make sure their product is safe to eat. When the weather is warm, they submit a sample to the state’s lab every week — sometimes more. That’s where Matthew Forester comes in.
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