Algae Bloom Threatens Sea Life Along California Coast

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published May 1, 2007 at 9:55 AM PDT

This story was published more than 17 years ago.

A deadly algae is killing marine life along the coast of the western U.S. From microorganisms to marine mammals, a local professor describes how these red tides can disrupt the sensitive chemistry of

Alan Ray (Guest Host): If you've spent any time in the Pacific Northwest, when clams and crab are nearly worshipped, you likely know about the period closings of those fisheries because of something called domoic acid. We used to talk about red tide closures. It's an algae bloom that occurs naturally, up to a point. But now sea mammals and birds are dying from Mendocino to San Diego because of domoic acid poisoning.

Guests

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Emily Wing , director of development of marketing at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach.
Dr. Carl Carrano, professor and chair of the Chemistry Department at San Diego State University .