Despite an unexpectedly large algae bloom that shut down clam beds in Down East Maine several weeks ago, the 2011 red tide season has been relatively mild and could end early thanks to the current spate of hot and sunny weather. Darcie Couture, who directs the Maine Department of Marine Resources’ biotoxin monitoring program, said [...]
Scientists on Friday predicted a moderate bloom of the toxic red tide in New England this summer, and they say the same water conditions that held it in check last year could suppress it again. The naturally occurring red tide algae produces a toxin that shellfish absorb, making them potentially fatal for people to eat [...]
Maine’s red tide season appears to have ended almost as quickly as it began. And although it is too early to say for sure, one red tide researcher said this year’s abbreviated season could be an indication that Arctic melting due to climate change is already altering red tide trends in the Gulf of Maine. [...]
Are we loving our coasts to death? Part I—Introduction and Overview Our coastal ocean ecosystems provide us inestimable ecological, recreational, and economic benefits. Our populations flock to these coastal areas, both as full–time residents and as vacationers. The notion that we as a species yearn to return to the sea is one familiar to all [...]
In August 2008, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin was found dead on the North Carolina coast, its skin cracked and ulcerated with an alarming growth of gray and white nodules. This dolphin was confirmed as having lobomycosis, the first confirmed case in North Carolina waters of this chronic fungal skin infection. Reports of this type of [...]
Scientists from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, working with NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response researchers, identified multiple cases of lobomycosis in stranded and live, free-swimming bottlenose dolphins from coastal North Carolina. Lobomycosis is a chronic fungal infection of the skin and, until now, only been reported in people and dolphins [...]