Toxic Algae Bloom Seen Off Washington State Coast
Date: 01-Oct-04
Country: USA
The algae, called pseudo-nitzschia, produce domoic acid, which can damage the areas of the brain used for memory and learning, causing permanent short-term memory loss. The toxin is lethal in higher doses.
"The levels of toxin are the highest we've ever seen," said Vera Trainer, an oceanographer at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
The bloom is about 30 miles wide, far larger than the normally observed width of 2 miles. Unseasonable cool weather and rain in September may have caused the bloom to expand and remain in place, Trainer said.
For now, the algae have not affected any of the razorclams or shellfish harvested locally, Trainer said, but coastal authorities were monitoring samples to make sure they were safe.
Domoic acid, also known as Amnesic Shellfish Poison, can build up in shellfish, tainting them for at least a year.
The first reported outbreak of domoic acid poisoning happened in 1987 when shellfish from Prince Edward Island, Canada, killed three people, while over 100 others developed symptoms.