WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded $574,028 to scientists at the University of Maine for a three year project to investigate methods that would provide early warning detection of harmful algal blooms (HABs), also known as red tides, in the Gulf of Maine. Research will be carried out at the University of Maine in partnership with the Maine Department of Marine Resources Biotoxin Monitoring Program.

“Red tides can have a devastating economic impact on communities up and down Maine’s coast,” said Michaud. “This research has tremendous potential to deliver new, effective technology for monitoring red tides that could improve response times and be more cost effective.”

Red tides produce a toxin that can become concentrated in shellfish tissue. Eating shellfish tainted with this toxin can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), a potentially fatal human illness. This project will allow scientists to detect and measure levels of toxic cells in water samples, providing Maine officials with an early warning of increased potential of PSP contamination in shellfish. The project could pave the way to similar projects in other regions affected by harmful algal blooms.

In 2009, Maine had one of its most severe red tides in recent history and the red tide resulted in closures of up to 97 percent of the fisheries. Approximately 3,000 harvesters and dealers depend directly upon access to healthy shellfish beds and Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR) estimates total annual economic value of this industry in Maine at over $50 million, with the largest proportion of that value generated from May through August. In some areas, closures lasted from April all the way through September, with devastating results to Maine’s shellfish harvesters and local economies.