Sensory-Friendly performances now available at The Laboratory Theater of Florida
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 Enjoy the summer. Be safe at lakes and coastlines! If the water is blue-green, it’s bad. If it smells, it’s toxic. What are the health effects of harmful algal blooms? Depending on the type of algae, HABs can cause serious health effects and even death. For example, eating seafood contaminated by toxins from algae called Alexandrium can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning, which can cause paralysis and even death. NIH If you see signs of a bloom, stay out of the water and keep your pets out of the water. You cannot tell if a bloom is harmful by looking at it, so it is best to use caution and stay away. Do not fish, swim, boat, or play water sports in areas where this is possible harmful algae or cyanobacteria. CDC  What are harmful algae blooms? Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when algae — simple photosynthetic organisms that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. There are many kinds of HABs, caused by a variety of algal groups with different toxins. The HABs in fresh and marine waters are usually very different, but they overlap in low salinity estuaries (places where rivers meet the sea). The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal. States have rigorous monitoring programs to ensure that commercially harvested fish and shellfish are safe to eat. HABs have been reported in every U.S. coastal state, and their occurrence may be on the rise. HABs are a national concern because they affect not only the health of people and marine ecosystems, but also the “health” of local and regional economies. NOAA  www.nationalalgaeassociation.org |