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Prediction, Response, and Status of New England Red Tide 2009

Current Status of 2009
New England Red Tide

April 27, 2009

On April 24, 2009, the State of Massachusetts extended the closure in the Nauset Marsh to include all shellfish.  Blooms in this area are thought to be isolated events that are not directly linked to blooms in the Gulf of Maine.

On April 27, 2009, the State of Maine closed harvesting of mussels, European oysters, and carnivorous snails, in a portion of Casco Bay between Flying Pt (Freeport) and Small Pt (Phippsburg).  This is an area that typically closes early and this closure is only two days earlier than last year.

For archived updates click here.

Click on the state name for up to date information on shellfish closures. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and New York

Prediction

In April 2009, NOAA-supported scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and North Carolina State University (NCSU) forecasted a moderately large New England Red Tide, or Alexandrium bloom, in the Gulf of Maine. The 2009 bloom event is expected be less extensive than the major regional bloom of 2008, but still has the potential to be more severe than the large event in 2006. The 2009 forecast was based on runs of a biological-physical model, developed with ECOHAB and MERHAB support, using weather scenarios typical of the last few years. A critical component of the model is a map of Alexandrium “resting” cysts on the seafloor, conducted every fall, as an indicator of bloom potential the next spring.  The cysts of Alexandrium act as seeds and germinate every spring when conditions are right.  The numbers of cysts last fall were lower than before the major event in 2008, but still higher than in 2006.  The extent to which the bloom will make landfall and affect coastal resources will largely depend on the wind patterns in May, June, and July.

Alexandrium blooms are one of several algal bloom types often called "red tides," but more correctly referred to as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Alexandrium produces a potent toxin that accumulates in shellfish and can cause illness in humans who eat contaminated shellfish.  States have well-established, rigorous shellfish monitoring programs to protect human health, so consumers are assured that commercially available shellfish are safe for consumption.

For more on the 2009 forecast, see the WHOI press release.

Alexandrium Research and Response

For Up-To-Date Information on Shellfish Closures, Consult the Following Web Sites:

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