SoundHAB: Mystery bloom north of Vancounver Island

[Michael B Lakeman]

Please see forwarded email below for a description of a mysterious, 
intense phytoplankton bloom in the Broughton Archipeliago.

Further to that email from yesterday, salmon farmers in that area are 
seeing some Heterosigma.

Best regards,

Michael Lakeman
Doctoral Candidate
Biology Department
University of Washington
ph. 206.543.1627
fx. 206.685.1728
http://staff.washington.edu/mbl2/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:58:19 -0700
From: Alexandra Morton <wildorca at island.net>
To: Michael B Lakeman <mbl2 at u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Thousands of farmed fish die in Port Angeles

Michael,

Hello, I am not sure if your interests are bloom specific, but there is a
somewhat epic bloom here that has been brewing for weeks.

At first it appeared to be Noctiluca, (which has become an annual spring
event in the past 10 years or so), but now the water resembles egg drop
soup, almost appearing jello-like there are so many strands of it hanging
suspended in the water column and there are thick meters wide swaths of
yellow-brown opaque cesspool looking stuff for maybe .5 km streaks.

I know there was an unprecedented bloom on the west coast of Vancouver
Island that killed some farm salmon this spring, but know nothing more about
either bloom.

If you are interested or know someone who could map and ID this, I would be
interested in contributing logistical support. I have a research facility
now in the Broughton.... Salmon Coast Field Station. I also have contacts
among the flying companies.

Hope to hear form you

alex