BOSTON (AP) – Public health officials have closed shellfish beds in Boston Harbor for the first time in 36 years in response to a spreading red tide along the Massachusetts coast.

The ban on shellfish harvesting now extends from the New Hampshire border to the Bourne-Sandwich town line, with the exception of a small area along Plymouth, Kingston, and Duxbury.

Red tide is a toxic algae that concentrates in shellfish, making them dangerous for humans to eat.

People who eat contaminated shellfish can get sick or die. Crabs, lobsters and shrimp are not affected.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe

AP-ES-06-13-08 0940EDT