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1. Home
2. Hazards
3. Harmful Algal Blooms
4. West Coast/Alaska

**West Coast/Alaska: Harmful Algal Blooms**  an animated image showing a 2017 HAB off the coast of California A graphical representation of a 2017 harmful algal bloom off the coast of California from the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System. Harmful algal blooms typically occur annually at "hot spots" along the U.S. West Coast. Some HABS produce a potent neurotoxin, called domoic acid, which can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates, and sometimes fish, leading to illness and death in a variety of seabirds and marine mammals. Human consumption of shellfish contaminated with domoic acid can result in amnesic shellfish poisoning, which can be life threatening, but is also rare. For finfish like salmon, tuna, and pollock, levels in edible portions of the animal are well below levels of concern for human consumption. The greatest human risk is from recreationally-harvested shellfish — commercial shellfish and finfish are closely monitored to ensure they are safe to eat. *Alexandrium catenella* blooms, which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, also occur throughout this region on an almost annual basis. A variety of other HABs occur sporadically in these regions which primarily threaten animal and ecosystem health.  NOAA Resources Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring System
				NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science developed this site to routinely deliver near real-time products for use in locating, monitoring, and quantifying algal blooms in coastal and lake regions of the U.S. This application delivers a suite of bloom detection products in the form of geographic based images. Socioeconomic Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms
				An exploration of the human dimensions of harmful algal blooms (HABs) from NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. NOAA Funds Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast System Development in Pacific Northwest (2016)
			NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science article describing the development of a harmful algal bloom (HAB) forecast in the Pacific Northwest to support management of shellfisheries, clamming beaches, and human health. NOAA awards $18.9M for harmful algal bloom research, monitoring
              NOAA is announcing $18.9 million in funding for harmful algal bloom (HAB) research projects and monitoring activities throughout U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters. California Resources The *Pseudo-nitzschia* toxin, which can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning, is of particular concern along the California coast. New research will improve modeling efforts to predict *Pseudo-nitzschia* blooms off Southern California and support environmental management efforts. A continuing project to understand the controlling factors of *Pseudo-nitzschia* toxin production and bloom formation will also help to improve early warning models.  Another continuing project is providing a strategy to add monitoring of multiple marine and freshwater HAB toxins occurring simultaneously in shellfish and other organisms in estuaries, an emerging ecosystem and public health problem. California Harmful Algae Risk Mapping
				Models and information provided by the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System. California Toxic Phytoplankton
				A GIS map that shows weekly observations of the distribution and relative abundance of *Alexandrium*, the toxin-producing dinoflagellate associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning, and *Pseudo-nitzschia*, the diatom that produces domoic acid. Pacific Northwest & Alaska Resources Both paralytic shellfish poisoning and amnesic shellfish poisoning are problems in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, impacting commercial, recreational, and tribal subsistence shellfish harvesting. A continuing project is transitioning an early warning system for *Pseudo-nitzschia* along Oregon and Washington ocean beaches. Another project aims to uncover the mechanisms behind wintertime occurrences of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxicity in geoduck clam fisheries in Southeast Alaska. Predictive modeling and HAB monitoring provide managers with an early warning of when and where toxic blooms will affect shellfish harvests, providing better public health protection and safeguarding coastal economies. Alaska Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network
				The Alaska HAB Network from the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research
				The Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research is focused on a variety of ocean research programs, including: improving tribal and rural access to traditional foods, monitoring toxic plankton blooms, testing shellfish for dangerous toxins, monitoring ocean chemistry, working with the EPA to raise water quality standards, and initiating a heavy metals testing program. Oregon Oregon Department of Agriculture: Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closures Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: Harmful Algae Washington State Recreational Shellfish Information: Food Safety and Beach Closures
				Beach closures, shellfish-related illness, and safety information from Washington State's Department of Health. SoundToxins.Org
		 The goal of this cooperative partnership is to establish a cost-effective monitoring program that will be led by state managers, environmental learning centers, tribal harvesters, and commercial fish and shellfish farmers. The SoundToxins program aims to provide sufficient warning of HAB events to enable early or selective harvesting of seafood, thereby minimizing risks to human health and reducing economic losses to Puget Sound fisheries. Olympic Regional Harmful Algal Blooms Partnership
				This project is bringing knowledge to the local communities on the Olympic peninsula of the Washington State coast, empowering the tribes and state managers to make scientifically-based decisions about managing and mitigating harmful algal bloom impacts on coastal fishery resources. Marine Toxin (Domoic Acid) Information Razor Clam Seasons and Beaches How to Dig Razor Clams
 **Archive:** Significant Events NCCOS supports Alaska Native efforts to detect paralytic shellfish toxins in Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula NCCOS Funds Investigation of Bioluminescent Red Tide Event Off Southern California Coast NCCOS Science, Funding are Backbone of U.S. HAB Monitoring and Bridge to Global System July 2019: Multispecies Mortality Event in Norton Sound Region of Alaska 2015 West Coast Harmful Algal Bloom Event  More **Information** Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring System Harmful Algal Bloom Prevention, Control, and Mitigation. NOAA Ecological Forecasting    Podcast: Uncovering the Mystery of Harmful Algal Blooms Podcast: Dealing with Dead Zones Video: Predicting Harmful Algal Blooms How do we forecast harmful algal blooms?    Harmful Algae: Resources from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Harmful Algal Blooms: Resources from the Environmental Protection Agency Harmful Algal Blooms: Resources from the Centers for Disease Control   **Search** Our Stories    Get **Social** Social
 **Last updated:** 08/02/23 **Author:** NOAA How to cite this article Contact Us


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