SoundToxins

Healthy local waters and seafood are ciritcal to the culture, economy, and ecology of Washington state. Phytoplankton, or microscopic algae, are the base of marine food webs so changes in their community composition and abundance directly affect ecosystems and can compromise the health and safety of seafood. When certain algae abundances increase to the point where they negatively impact human, economic, or ecological health, they are called harmful algal blooms (HABs). Some algae common in Washington waters produce biotoxins that can bioaccumulate through the food chain posing serious human health risks. SoundToxins is a collaborative network of Native tribes, shellfish and finfish farmers, environmental learning centers, and community scientists who monitor phytoplankton abundances year-round across Washington state's inland waters. This program aims to provide sufficient warning of HAB events to enable early or selective harvesting of seafood, thereby minimizing risks to human health and reducing economic losses. It also aims to determine which environmental conditions promote the onset and flourishing of HAB or unusual bloom events, which combination of environmental factors can be used for early warning of these events, and document unusual bloom events and new species entering the Salish Sea.