Red Tide Bloom Closes Maine Waters to Shellfishing

Maine officials have closed some parts of the coast, banning shellfishing as a "mild red tide bloom" continues to contaminate shellfish with a harmful neurotoxin.

Red tide blooms, often referred to by officials as harmful algae blooms (HABs), are most commonly characterized by a rusty red color of the blooming phytoplankton dinoflagellate Alexandrium - a type of single celled green algae - but are not always red in color.

Like in many other shallow-water regions along the East Coast, Alexandrium is a common sight in Maine. However, it is not generally so concentrated to pose a threat to both shellfish and humans alike, according to the state's Department of Marine Resources (DMR).

What makes HAB's harmful is that they release saxitoxin - a neurotoxin that builds in "blooming" Alexandrium cells that are then consumed by shellfish, causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).

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http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/7703/20140621/red-tide-bloom-closes-main-waters-shellfishing.htm