AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Environmental officials in Maine are monitoring an algae bloom in Casco Bay.
The Department of Marine Resources is keeping an eye on a Karenia mikimotoi bloom that stretches from Chebeague Island to Phippsburg.
The Portland Press Herald reports that this species of algae poses no health risk to swimmers or people who eat shellfish.
The department’s director of public health, Kohl Kanwit, says this species can harm marine life, but no adverse effects have been reported during this bloom.
When a Karenia bloom intensifies, it can create areas of water that are low in oxygen, leading to sea life deaths.
Kanwit says only one other Karenia bloom has been reported in recent years, so there’s no established data the state can use to assess what may happen in the future.
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Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com
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