August 16, 2022 — Three dense and very large algal blooms fueled by extreme heat in recent weeks may have contributed to the deaths of a significant number of soft-shell clams in eastern Casco Bay.
The blooms, which cause a reddish brown or mustard-yellow discoloration of ocean waters, are concentrated in Maquoit Bay off Brunswick and Freeport; in Middle Bay off Brunswick and Harpswell; and in Basin Cove in Harpswell.
The Friends of Casco Bay sounded the alarm about the bloom on Monday, describing it as very concerning. The Maine Department of Marine Resources has also taken notice of the algal bloom, but said it is nontoxic.
“The blooms are not harmful to people who consume shellfish or swim in the waters, but due to the high cell concentration, anoxic conditions could occur, which may result in limited marine organism mortalities,” the DMR said in a statement.