In NOAA’s Arctic Report Card, documenting the impact of climate change on the northernmost part of the planet, scientists highlighted the recent rise of toxic algae blooms in the region. Although common in more temperate climates, such as Florida, which has suffered from devastating algae blooms, NOAA said toxic blooms have been found in the Arctic and are expected to expand with rising temperatures, affecting people who depend on wild foods in the region.
“Data collected over the past decade clearly indicate that multiple toxic HAB species (commonly called “red tides”) are present in the Arctic food web at dangerous levels, and it is very likely that this problem will persist and perhaps worsen in the future,” NOAA said.
It attributed the increased presence to global warming. “Warming ocean temperatures, decreasing seasonal ice cover, and thinning sea ice will also serve to further expand the spatial and temporal windows for growth of endemic HAB species already present in Arctic waters,” it said. “The Arctic region is now vulnerable to species introductions and increasing bloom frequency in local communities and ecosystems that have little to no prior exposure to this phenomenon.”
Although for decades people have gotten sick and died from paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in Alaska, primarily in southeast Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, the number of toxic species in the region is increasing, the report said. One type of toxic organism, saxitoxins, “cause illness and mortalities via zooplankton, fish, birds, shellfish, and many other vectors relevant to subsistence harvesters in the Arctic. A second HAB group of growing concern includes domoic acid-producing Pseudo-nitzschia diatoms that poison humans or animals who eat shellfish or other contaminated marine organisms.”
As a result of the toxic blooms, warnings have been posted in Alaska to avoid consuming certain sea life. Recently, the Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom (AHAB) Network was formed, which will work on HAB awareness, monitoring, and response in the state.