CDPH Lifts Warnings about Pacific Sardines and Northern Anchovies Harvested in Central California Waters
August 3, 2026
SN26-016
What You Need to Know: CDPH has removed the warning that advised against eating commercially harvested Pacific sardines and Northern anchovies from Central California waters.
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is lifting its health advisory for commercially harvested Pacific sardines and Northern anchovies from waters between:
- Pigeon Point, San Mateo County (37⁰ 11.00' N. lat.) and Point Lobos, Monterey County (36⁰ 31.46' N. Lat.)
Recent laboratory analyses show that domoic acid levels in the body and the internal organs of Pacific sardines and Northern anchovies collected from Central California coastal waters have declined to low or undetectable levels. Based on these findings, and in coordination with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, CDPH is lifting the health advisory for these species that was issued on
July 6, 2026.
Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma, or death.
CDPH continues to coordinate its efforts with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the fishing community to collect and test fish samples from the impacted areas until domoic acid levels have cleared. There have been no reported illnesses associated with this event.
Test results are updated as laboratory results become available and can be viewed on the
CDPH Domoic Acid webpage. Please visit
CDPH’s Domoic Acid FAQ for more information. To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH’s toll-free “Shellfish Information Line” at (800) 553-4133.