U.S. Finfish, Shellfish and Wildlife Affected by Toxic or Harmful Microalgal Species

Harmful Algal Species
(& Related Illnesses)		 Geographic Area Affected Organisms*
(ASP)
    
Pseudo-nitzschia pungens f. multiseries Gulf of Maine; Puget Sound WA
Massachusetts; Maine		 Mussels
Bay scallops+, Sea scallops+
P. australis California Anchovies, sea birds
P. australis Washington, Oregon Razorclams+, Dungeness crabs+
(CFP)
    
Gambierdiscus toxicus
Prorocentrum lima+
P. concavum+
P. hoffmannianum+
Ostreopsis lenticularis+
O. siamensis
 South Florida, Florida Keys, Puerto Rico, U.S.Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Guam Grouper, snapper, mackerel, jack, barracuda, parrot fish, tang, goat fish, and other finfish

Gastropods
(NSP)
    
Karenia breivs Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic Bight Bay scallops, surfclams, oysters, southern quahogs, coquinas

Tunicates

Many commercial and recreational species of fish. Sea birds+, sea turtles, manatees+, dolphins+
(PSP)
    
Alexandrium spp. Northern Atlantic and Pacific Coast of North America Mussels, surfclams, softshell clams, sea scallops, butterclams, ocean quahogs, oysters, gastropods, lobsters, crabs

Herring, salmon, menhaden, sandlance, mackerel and possibly other fish species.

Whales, sea lions+, sea otters+, sea birds.

Squid, zooplankton, and other benthic invertebrates
Other Impacts
    
Alexandrium monilata Gulf of Mexico Oysters, coquinas, mussels, gastropods, fish
Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates North Carolina estuaries and adjacent coastal waters Atlantic menhaden, blue crab, catfish, mullet, spot, white perch, American eel, croaker, hogchoker, southern flounder, sheepshead
Prorocentrum spp. Long Island Sound Northern quahogs, bay scallops
Gyrodinium aureolum Northern New England Mussels, softshell clams+
Aureococcus anophagefferens New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey Bay scallops, mussels Anchoa sp., cladocerans
Chaetoceros spp. Pacific northwest Salmon aquaculture
Heterosigma carterae Pacific northwest
Narragansett Bay		 Salmon aquaculture
wild fish, zooplankton

*Found to contain algal toxins, or to be adversely affected by toxic or harmful marine algae
+Causative algae implicated, not confirmed.