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Dozens of Central Coast sea lions ill from exposure to toxins

August 29, 2022

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Dozens of sea lions have become sick in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties after exposure to Domoic acid. [KSBY]

From Aug. 15 through Aug. 25, there have been 61 cases of Domoic acid toxicosis in the two counties, according to The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute. The condition stems from harmful algae blooms, sometimes referred to as “red tides.”

Increased runoff and elevated water temperature have created a breeding ground for the algae to grow, and there have been bigger blooms as a result. Domoic acid comes from blue or green algae and enters marine mammals through the fish they eat.

The poisoning can cause disorientation, erratic behavior, head weaving and can lead to seizures. When detected early, workers can flush out the toxins. If the exposure to the toxin is irreversible, it can damage a sea lion’s brain.

Aliah Meza, the operations manager for The Marine Mammal Center, is currently recommending that members of the public stay at least 150 feet away sea lions. Humans being present can create additional stress for already disoriented sea lions.

Anyone who sees a sea lion that may be in distress can call The Marine Mammal Center’s 24-hour hotline at (415) 289-7325.


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Ever eaten a “bad oyster”? I have.


Maybe if this issue is reframed as not just the concerns of leftist animal lovers….people could understand that it can affect the people they love if they eat seafood.

Symptoms of illness include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache, unstable blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and neurological dysfunction, including coma, seizures and memory loss.

Maybe we need to listen to what sea mammals are telling us.


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Oh dear God!! The California Dept. of Public Health shuts down oysters, crab etc. when the levels of DA get too high. Before the dungeness season even starts the crab are tested and retested and tested again. The closing threshold is 30 ppm, a human being doesn’t even become mildly ill until 300ppm. The dungeness crab fishery was closed from November of 2015 til April of 2016 due to DA. The highest crab tested was in the low 100’s. At the same time a Mexican fast food chain was killing people with their food. Did they get shut down? Nope.


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I’ll just leave this here. Anyone interested should read it. It’s short. The book is more detailed, but may not fit in with the point of view of many who read this blog.


https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what-can-we-do-about-it


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Could be a side effect from the municipal sewage spills lately


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You’re right ID, poop has nitrates, and our local water is contaminated with PFAS and other carcinogens that cause cancer to all life. Runoff from farms into tributaries; nitrates, herbicides, fertilizer, etc; cause blooms. Whoever thumbs downed you obviously are sinners/ religious Nationalist, aka Jesushadist, or a CEO, or a Hill Billy, most likely a Redneck.


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