Algae blooms are poisoning marine life farther north than they ever have, says a new study by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Algae blooms containing domoic acid and saxitoxin — potentially lethal toxins produced by algae — are increasingly common along California’s coast. But tests on the carcasses of 900 Alaskan mammals, including seals and whales, confirmed that the toxins are now showing up in northern populations, reports The Vancouver Sun.
Researchers believe that warmer water due to climate change is to blame. In Alaska, water temperatures have risen 3 degrees in the last decade. But researchers say the entire U.S.-Canadian Pacific coast is at risk.
Exactly how the toxins might have affected the health of the animals tested is unclear, since they either washed ashore or were donated by hunters. “The [toxins] may not be in high enough concentrations yet to cause health impacts, but our question is, what does the future hold in terms of increasing algae blooms as the waters warm?” asked researcher and study author Kathi Lefebvre. She called for more research on how the toxins might move through the food web.
While scientists like Lefebvre try to predict algae’s spread, the blooms have already taken a toll on local economies. Last year, a record bloom forced the Washington State to close its Dungeness crab fishery, worth $84 million annually, and halt the razor clam catch, which normally brings in $9 million in the month of May alone.