Expanded Environmental Dangers on Pacific Ocean from Toixc Algae Bloom Continues
Experts are deeply concerned that the recent ban of Pacific Ocean shellfish is only a smaller indication of the growing environmental dangers evolving from an unprecedented toxic algae bloom off the U.S. west coast.
Charlton H. Bonham, Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CDFW, implemented an emergency ruling delaying the November 15th commercial Dungeness crab season, due to a particularly large and highly toxic algae bloom. While algae blooms are common, this one is more threatening to the ecosystem due to its massive size and elevated levels of the poisonous neurotoxin domoic acid – which is produced from some species of Pseudo-nitzschia – marine plankton.
The CDFW states, “Currently, a massive toxic bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia has developed, significantly impacting marine life” and speculates that, “Warmer ocean temperatures due to the El Nino event California is experiencing are likely the cause of the size and persistence of this bloom.”
“Recent tests by the California Department of Public Health, CDPH, in conjunction with CDFW, show that “the health risk to humans is significant – domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin that can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish. It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness in humans – at higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.”
“At stake is the health of the marine ecosystem — It is well beyond crabs – it has a completely destructive effect on the whole marine ecosystem, explained Dr. William Cochlan, a researcher at San Francisco State University. “ The algae can produce the toxic domoic acid that has moved up the food chain into the Dungeness crabs we hoped to be eating by now”, added Dr. Cochlan.
“I did not make this decision lightly, but doing everything we can to limit the risk to public health has to take precedence,” explained Bonham. Sport fisherman are dreading an expected similar delay in the coming days, which will add further economic challenges to an industry already feeling negative effects in the estimated $60 million profit that is typically produced through the Dungeness crab season in California, alone.
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