A recent Delaware Sea Grant survey of coastal residents showed that the public remains highly concerned about the toxic blooms and its potential impacts on humans, including issues of seafood safety and consumption. Most of the fish that appear to be affected by Pfiesteria are non-food fish, such as menhaden, though lesions believed to be caused by the toxic dinoflagetlle have been seen on traditional fin fish used for human consumption. However, there have been no reports of human illness from the consumption of seafood coming from waters where Pfiesteria has been present. There is data that show that some people will not eat any seafood if they hear of an outbreak, and others will not even drive through an area where Pfiesteria has been found. The economic impacts of such outbreaks warrants further study, and Sea Grant is pleased to announce this award to East Carolina University.
Harmful algae are microscopic, single-celled plants that live in the sea.
Most species of algae or phytoplankton are not harmful and serve as the energy producers at the base of the food web. They can negatively affect public health, commercial fisheries, recreation and tourism, while causing regions to divert resources to manage and monitor HAB situations. The Woods Hole project will provide a framework to estimate the economic impacts on local, regional and national scales. Virtually every coastal state of the U.S. is impacted by harmful algal blooms of one type or another. Sea Grant is a network of 29 university-based programs involving more than 300 institutions nationwide in research, education and the transfer of technology regarding coastal, marine and Great Lake issues.