The Southeast Alaska Tribal Toxins partnership discovered harmful toxins in some phytoplankton that could cause health effects in humans while collecting samples in Southeast Alaska.
SEATT found elevated levels of Alexandrium, the phytoplankton species that produces toxins causing paralytic shellfish poisoning, at Starrigaven, Sitka, and Hydaburg Beach, the organization said in a press release.
Additionally, mulluscan shellfish at Hydaburg Beach were found to be near or above the regulatory limit of saxitoxins. SEATT advises the public that these shellfish should not be harvested at this time.
Sampling updates will be available at seator.org. Questions should be directed to Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Research Laboratory at 747-7395 or seator@sitkatribe-nsn.org.
