State bans commercial anchovy, sardine fishing over health hazard

State wildlife officials have restricted commercial fishing for northern anchovy and Pacific sardine in Monterey Bay after finding a toxin that can cause nausea, diarrhea and even death in humans.

Fish sampled from the bay contained elevated levels of domoic acid, a potent neurotoxin produced by a naturally occurring marine algae, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Friday.