Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Kodiak Region Harmful Algal Blooms Monitoring

EPA Grant Number: EM840533
Title: Kodiak Region Harmful Algal Blooms Monitoring
Investigators: Kornelis, Tyler
Institution: Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA)
EPA Project Officer: Ludwig-Monty, Sarah
Project Period: February 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024 (Extended to January 31, 2025)
Project Amount: $50,000
RFA: Congressionally Directed Spending (2022)
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Harmful Algal Blooms , Tribal Environmental Health Research , Air , Aquatic Toxicology

Objective:

Objective 1: Restart monitoring shellfish for PSP bi-weekly and collect weekly phytoplankton samples.

• Activity 1 - Collect phytoplankton samples and shellfish at sample locations around Kodiak Island, then identify phytoplankton and ship shellfish samples to Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Research Lab (STAERL) for PSP analysis.
• Achievements: Regular collection of both phytoplankton and shellfish samples was conducted at designated sites around the island. This fieldwork formed the foundation for subsequent laboratory analysis and PSP monitoring. Phytoplankton were identified on-island, and shellfish were prepared and shipped to STEARL for PSP testing.
• Activity 2 - Collaborate with STAERL and Kodiak Tribes to compile samples and environmental datasets for PSP
• Achievements: A total of 68 shellfish samples were collected between March 13, 2024 and December 31, 2024. This includes 10 "harvest and hold" samples, which are summarized in Figure 2 and 3. These findings highlight a seasonal trend in toxin presence, aligning with known bloom periods for harmful algal species such as Alexandrium.
• Activity 3 - Ship shellfish samples to STAERL bi-weekly
• Achievements: Shellfish samples were shipped to STEARL regularly throughout the project period. While strict bi-weekly shipments were occasionally impacted by tidal conditions, we adhered to the schedule as closely as possible. Adjustments were made to ensure consistent monitoring despite environmental constraints, supporting the overall objective of reestablishing routine PSP testing.
• Activity 4 - Analyze phytoplankton weekly
• Achievements: Phytoplankton were analyzed weekly in the on-island laboratory. Results are presented in Figure 1. Through this monitoring, a bloom of Alexandrium was observed at one location in May. The species was also detected in June, though not at elevated levels. Other harmful algal bloom (HAB) species were observed from February (during practice sampling) through October, with variation depending on the location.

Objective 2: Increase knowledge about HABs and biotoxins in Kodiak waters and provide data to residents on the harvesting of shellfish in the Kodiak region.

• Activity 1 - Train and educate Tribal members and Kodiak residents in coastal environmental monitoring techniques and the science of HABs.
• Achievements: We spent a significant amount of time and resources increasing knowledge about HABS in Kodiak waters; scheduling meetings with project partners, creating education and outreach materials for community members, and connecting with Tribes regarding harmful algal blooms and shellfish toxins.
• Activity 2 - Part of this plan will be achieved through “HAB Hubs”. HAB Hubs are structural-like awnings located at the beaches that are being monitored along the Kodiak Road System where harvesting is occurring. The HAB Hubs will display project information, data and the most recent results.
• Achievements: We utilized existing HAB Hubs at South Trident Basin and Mission Beach to share project information, monitoring data, and recent results both on-site and online. Due to funding constraints, a hub was not installed at Frye Point; however, outreach and data sharing continued through the existing hubs and an email listserv providing digital updates.
• Activity 3 - Public phytoplankton updates that display shellfish toxin data, general program updates and phytoplankton observations.
• Achievements: We worked closely with KANA’s Communication Department to craft educational materials for the project. Throughout the project, we overhauled the public service advisory structure, which involved crafting new PSAs and educational flyers for situations where shellfish levels exceed regulatory limits. These materials were disseminated following Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) results, PSAs, and other relevant shellfish information.
• Activity 4 - Distribute advisories when toxin levels warrant advisories.
• Achievements: Advisories were issued when toxin results came back above the regulatory limit at our partners at SEATRL and by KANA staff.

Objective 3: Educate and promote Tribal members about an adaptation practice – “Harvest and Hold”.

• Activity 1 - Harvest and hold is the practice where one chooses a specific location to harvest (shellfish collected no more than 50ft apart from each other) and once the collection is finished, the harvester would sacrifice 6–8 shellfish for testing at Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Environmental Research Laboratory (STAERL). Harvesters would wait 2–3 days for their results and would use these results to make the best management decision.
• Achievements: Ten Harvest and Hold samples were collected, as summarized in Figure 2. Six of these samples exceeded the FDA regulatory limit. We contacted each harvester individually to communicate their results. Samples were submitted from across the island, including some from the villages. One harvester submitted both whole and cleaned razor clam samples—the highest result received was 1,185 µg/100g. State epidemiology reports clearly indicate that these levels are dangerous. However, we did not issue a public safety alert due to delays in testing timelines. The clams were submitted seven days after harvest and not tested until day ten, making the results unrepresentative of the actual risk at the time of harvest. Interestingly, the meat of the cleaned clams tested at 492 µg/100g. This suggests that cleaning can reduce PST levels, but not enough to make the shellfish safe for consumption. Based on this information, the harvester chose not to eat the shellfish.
• Activity 2 - Weekly phytoplankton monitoring will serve as an early warning system for projecting shellfish toxicity. Higher HAB species identified in the water column indicate higher toxicity levels in shellfish, which will be displayed at the HAB Hub and posted on Southeast Alaska Ocean Tribal Research’s website for public viewing, www.SEATOR.org.
• Achievements: When comparing the phytoplankton data to the shellfish data, we observed a noticeable pattern. A bloom of Alexandrium occurred in May, followed by the first shellfish samples exceeding the regulatory limit in early June. However, during subsequent spikes in toxin levels in July and August, Alexandrium was not detected in the phytoplankton tows. This discrepancy suggests that more research and data are needed to determine whether these patterns indicate a longer-term trend or are isolated events.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

Figure 1 - Species of conern observation data (by date and aggregate)

Milestone 1: Hire the Environmental Technician to perform fieldwork under this project. This milestone addresses Objective 1; the Environmental Coordinator allows the program to restart monitoring and collection activities.

Status: Complete | Result: Environmental Technician hired and onboarded successfully and trained in pertinent sampling procedures. Monitoring restarted in year 2 with the QAPP was approved.

Milestone 2: Promote the Harvest and Hold Strategy by creating flyers, social media posts, etc. to promote KANA accepting shellfish from subsistence harvesters and providing shellfish toxin results so they can make informed harvest decisions. This milestone addresses Objective 3. Status: Complete | Result: See Objective 3 Activity 1. Elder tea event held and public materials created for education on Harvest and Hold among service population. 10 harvest and hold samples were submitted through this program starting immediately after the QAPP was submitted.

Milestone 3: Collaborate with Tribal environmental staff in the villages and on the Kodiak Road System about HABs and shellfish testing. This milestone addresses Objective 2.

Status: Complete | Result: One community Native Village of Larsen Bay added this to their environmental program but due to staff turnover they have not collected samples. The VSPO program supported sample collection through the Harvest and Hold program but no official village locations were started during this grant. We collaborated with Tribal environmental staff in many ways including but not limited to; water quality workshop May 2023, community events such as Elder Tea, Talk of the Rock KMST radio, and KELP meetings.

Milestone 3.5: QAPP Development with Sitka Tribe and EPA

Status: Complete | Result: A draft umbrella QAPP was submitted to SEATOR’s EPA PO on 1/25/2024. A final version was approved by the EPA and sent to our project officer 2/28/2025. This is a joint QAPP with SEATOR and KANA and includes all Kodiak Tribes. EPA replaced the signature page on the QAPP that was approved for the joint KANA/SEATOR projects and on 3/13/2024 we were given the green light to begin sampling efforts under this project.

Milestone 4: Collect weekly phytoplankton baseline data samples, toxin analysis, and data entry into the SEATOR database.

Status: Complete. Whole water samples not analyzed due to SEATOR lab capacity. | Result: Weekly phytoplankton sampling began in March at two initial locations, with practice samples collected during January and February to prepare for full implementation. A third monitoring site was successfully onboarded in May. 

Milestone 5: Collect bi-weekly/monthly shellfish samples at each site and send to STAERL.

Status: Complete | Result: See Objective 3 and 2 as well as Figure 2 and 3 for shellfish collection.

Milestone 6: Create outreach and PSA resources based on shellfish toxicity levels.

Status: Complete | Result: Outreach materials developed in concert with community members. Year 1 was informational only, building trust and familiarity for Year 2 communication. Example advisory from 5/30/2024 included in documents.

Milestone 7: Update “HAB Hub” bi-monthly with recent results and project details.

Status: Complete | Result: See Objective 2, Activity 2. Increase in knowledge observed via sample submissions and anecdotal engagement.

Milestone 8: Continue to seek and apply for grant funding to support program sustainability.

Status: Complete | Result: KANA and UAF successfully collaborated to obtain NOAA MERHAB funding (MERHAB2023 Targeted Research Project). Subaward paperwork issued 12/20/2025; project runs through 8/31/2028.

Milestone 9: Collaborate with STAERL and Kodiak Tribes to compile samples and environmental datasets into a final report.

Status: Complete | Result: Communication continued throughout project. Data to be collected/analyzed upon QAPP approval.

Species	Sample Type	Collection Date	Received Date	Location	Site Name	PSP Result (µg/100g)
Macoma	whole	5/8/2024	5/9/2024	Kodiak	Near Island-Trident Basin	9
Surf Clam	whole	5/8/2024	5/10/2024	Kodiak	Middle Bay Beach,	11
Razor Clam	meat	5/14/2024	5/21/2024	Kodiak	Rolling Bay, Sitkalidak Island	492
Razor Clam	whole	5/14/2024	5/21/2024	Kodiak	Rolling Bay, Sitkalidak Island	1185
Surf Clam	whole	4/26/2024	5/21/2024	Kodiak	Pillar Creek Beach	6
Butter Clam	whole	5/25/2024	5/30/2024	Kodiak	Sockeye Beach, Ugak Bay, Kodiak Island	87
Blue Mussel	whole	6/23/2024	7/3/2024	Kodiak	Hidden Basin, Ugak Bay	100
Surf Clam	whole	7/7/2024	7/25/2024	Kodiak	Pillar Creek Beach	31
Butter Clam	whole	9/18/2024	9/25/2024	Kodiak	Larsen Bay at Humpy Creek	105
Butter Clam	whole	10/18/2024	10/29/2024	Kodiak	Larsen Bay at Humpy Creek	81

Figure 2 - Harvest and Hold PSP results from samples collected in 2024

 

Date	Location	Species	PSP Result (µg/100g)
3/20/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	4
4/20/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	7
4/29/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	6
5/8/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	27
5/24/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	52
5/24/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	24
5/24/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	27

5/24/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	58
5/24/2024	Sometimes Island	Blue Mussel	47
6/4/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	93
6/4/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	127
6/4/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	148
6/4/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	25
6/10/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	126
6/10/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	327
6/10/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	140
6/10/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	21
6/25/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	134
6/25/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	79
6/25/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	22
7/8/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	177
7/8/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	83
7/8/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	16
7/25/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	76
7/26/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	23
7/25/2024	Frye Point Beach	Blue Mussel	5
7/25/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	6
8/6/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	138
8/6/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	132
8/6/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	6
8/22/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	20
8/22/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	20
8/22/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	NTD
9/4/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	13
9/4/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	7
9/5/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	10
9/19/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	5
9/19/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	6
9/19/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	NTD
10/5/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	4
10/5/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	4
10/5/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	4
10/17/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	NTD
10/17/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	NTD
10/17/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/2/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	5
11/2/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/2/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	6
11/14/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/14/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/14/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/30/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/30/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	NTD
11/30/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	NTD
12/12/2024	South Trident Basin	Blue Mussel	NTD
12/12/2024	Mission Beach	Blue Mussel	5
12/13/2024	Frye Point	Blue Mussel	NTD

Conclusions:

Our monitoring program was technically effective in detecting the presence of HABs. This is a significant accomplishment, especially given the logistical and geographic challenges of working in remote parts of Kodiak Island. The project successfully generated timely and actionable data, allowing for community-level awareness and informed decision-making around shellfish harvesting. Although increasing the number of sampling sites and the frequency of monitoring could enhance data resolution and early detection, the scope of our efforts was well-aligned with the resources available. The effectiveness of our methods is further supported by Consistency with SEATOR regional datasets enhances confidence in our approach and confirms that our data contributes meaningfully to long-term regional environmental health.

From an economic standpoint, this type of monitoring represents a highly feasible and sustainable solution for food safety in isolated communities. The cost of regularly collecting and analyzing shellfish and phytoplankton samples is modest compared to other options, such as importing seafood from outside the region or establishing a full-scale laboratory on the island— both of which would require far greater investment and ongoing operational costs. While Kodiak’s islanded status does increase logistical expenses relative to mainland projects, these costs are still significantly lower than many other food safety interventions. Moreover, the monitoring framework we used was adapted from similar programs in comparable regions, demonstrating its practicality under constrained economic conditions.

Importantly, this project contributes not only to environmental monitoring but to broader goals of community health, food security, and cultural continuity. For many Indigenous and local residents, shellfish harvesting is more than a subsistence activity—it is a cultural practice, a source of identity, and a community cornerstone. Protecting access to safe, locally harvested shellfish is therefore not only an environmental or public health concern, but a matter of cultural resilience. While conventional cost-benefit analyses may not fully reflect the value of this work, the benefits are tangible: reduced risk of PSP-related illness, informed harvest decisions, and increased community confidence in local food systems. In this way, our project supports both environmental protection and human well-being in a region where traditional knowledge and modern science work hand-in-hand to maintain a healthy and sustainable way of life.

Supplemental Keywords:

Monitoring, paralytic shellfish toxins, biotoxins, harmful algal blooms

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2023 Progress Report