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Caribbean and Pacific Island Regions Harmful Algal Blooms
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), caused by several species of harmful dinoflagellates, is a problem in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Guam, and other Pacific Island territories. CFP in U.S. territorial waters account for the majority of public health costs associated with marine HABs. The environmental factors leading to CFP outbreaks are not well understood, in large part due to the patchiness in time and space of the outbreaks. Additionally, macroalgal blooms have been a recurring problem for the past two decades in Hawaii. Macroalgae overgrowth adversely affects corals and accumulates in odorous masses on some beaches. Blooms of the marine cyanobacteria, Lyngbya majuscula, have also been a problem in Hawaii and Guam.