Originally posted by YAHUWAH SAVES
reply to post by uselesshobo
if you click the news link it will state the rest of info... domoic acid... etc.
wikipedia.org
...Domoic acid can bioaccumulate in marine organisms such as shellfish, anchovies, and sardines that feed on the phytoplankton known to produce this toxin. DA can accumulate in high concentrations in the tissues of these plankton feeders when the toxic phytoplankton itself is high in concentration in the surrounding waters...
Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by JacKatMtn
So, essentially, this toxin is naturally occuring and is known to accumulate in these kinds of fish.. It's also worth noting that it would appear this Domoic Acid is only a neurotoxin in mammals, not fish, so they can't have died from it.
So, my question is, why is this even worth mentioning?
Many scientists agree that increases in algal blooms in California and around the world are caused by a combination of factors, including agricultural run-off, oceanographic properties, and global warming. Many of these blooms produce chemicals that are dangerous to humans when concentrated in the food chain. In the case of domoic acid, both shellfish and fish can concentrate the toxin.
While harmful algal blooms are often termed "red tides" because of the color of some algal species, we cannot always see these blooms just by looking at the water. To detect these harmful blooms, scientists monitor plankton and domoic acid levels in mussels. In California, harvesting of mussels and other shellfish is banned when their tissues contain levels of domoic acid over the deadly 200 parts per million. At lower levels, however, there is no public warning system.
"I wouldn't eat shellfish during any sort of harmful algal bloom, especially not if I was pregnant," says Gulland.
