HAB Alerts

2023 (active alerts in blue)

• The Imaging Flow CytoBot on board the Sikuliaq detected high concentrations of Alexandrium around the Bering Strait and St Lawrence Island
  • July 28-29: maximum concentration of 47,000 cells/L

• SEATOR Biotoxin Report for SE Alaska Tribes
  • Blue mussels collected in Juneau on 7/24/2023 = 133 μg/100g
  • Butter clams collected in Ketchikan on 7/21/2023 = 167 μg/100g
  • Blue mussels collected in Juneau on 7/18/2023 = 118 μg/100g
  • Butter clams collected in Juneau on 7/18/2023 = 121 μg/100g
  • Blue mussels collected in Juneau on 7/7/2023 = 1684 μg/100g
  • Cockles collected in Juneau on 7/7/2023 = 1369 μg/100g
  • Butter clams collected in Juneau on 7/7/2023 = 526 μg/100g
    • For more info on SEATOR, please see the SEATOR website

• Knik Tribe’s HAB project has detected high values for PSP toxins:
  • Blue mussels collected at Sand Point on 7/9/2023 = 621 μg/100g
  • Blue mussels collected at Sand Point on 7/3/2023 = 293 μg/100g
  • Blue mussels collected at Sand Point on 7/3/2023 = 2,124 μg/100g
  • Blue mussels collected at Sand Point on 7/2/2023 = 465 μg/100g
  • Blue mussels collected at Sand Point on 6/15/2023 = 3,793 μg/100g 
  • Razor clams collected at Chignik on 6/2/2023 = 311 μg/100g 
  • Blue mussels collected at Sand Point on 5/24/2023 = 286 μg/100g 
    • For more details and results, please see the Knik Tribe PSP webpage.

2022

• September 2022: High densities of Alexandrium cells were observed by the HAB cruise in the Bering Strait region at the beginning of the month. A strong storm in Western Alaska washed up clams along the coast and harvesters are encouraged to stay alert to the signs of PSP and contact their local health care providers if they experience any of the signs after consuming shellfish.
• August 2022: Alexandrium is being observed in several regions of Alaska, including near Seward, and in the Bering Strait region where very high densities were detected by the Norseman II cruise – the nearby communities have been alerted. Toxins were elevated in shellfish in Southeast, and a possible PSP case was reported, although samples were not available to confirm.
• July 2022: Alexandrium was present in the waters of Alaska, including in the Northern Bering Sea. Shellfish testing has not been conducted extensively, but the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research network has detected high levels of PST in butter shellfish across Southeast Alaska.
• June 2022: Alexandrium is present in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska, and shellfish from Unalaska and Chignik Lagoon are testing above the regulatory limit for PST.
• ADF&G Kotzebue Herring Kill (Oct 13, 2021) Pathology Report – 12/21
• Southeast AK, Kodiak, and Aleutians: blue mussel PST levels now consistently above limit – 6/24/21
• Non-harmful bloom of Mesodinium rubrum turns Kachemak Bay waters red – 5/27/21
• Satellite study links Sept 2020 Kamchatka HAB event to high temps – 3/8/21
• Razor clam digging still shut down in Pacific Northwest due to domoic acid levels – 2/5/21
• Karenia brevis (warm water dinoflagellate) leads to HAB event in Florida causing respiratory irritation and fish kills – 12/28/20
• Massive die-off and health impact in Kamchatka (Russia) linked to HABs – 11/18/20
• PSP death in Dutch Harbor; State of Alaska issues shellfish alert – 7/15/20