Knik Tribe's Natural Resources Department

About the Project

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The Knik Tribe is leading the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Risk Management Project, a comprehensive initiative supporting multiple Alaskan Tribes and public health agencies, including the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) Environmental Health Laboratory.    

What is PSP?  

PSP is usually caused by the consumption of bivalves (clams, mussels, scallops) contaminated with paralytic shellfish toxins (PST). PSTs are produced by the microscopic marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium. Alexandrium PSTs bioaccumulates in shellfish and other marine organisms. These toxins pose a serious public health risk to people that rely on marine resources.  

Why PSP Monitoring is important?  

PSP poses a risk to coastal Alaskan communities, due to the reliance on shellfish for subsistence and cultural uses. As subsistence users, many Alaskans rely on their local knowledge to determine whether it is safe to consume shellfish. Local knowledge presumes that PSP occurrence is solely a summer event and may be identified by a red color in the water termed a “red tide,” however, these are not necessarily true. Most Alexandrium blooms are colorless, and shellfish species may retain their toxins long after a bloom has occurred. Additionally, the risk of PSP cannot be removed by cooking or freezing contaminated shellfish or other PST contaminated biota and has been responsible for five deaths and over 100 cases of PSP in Alaska since 1993 (State of Alaska, 2022). To reduce the risk of PSP, individuals are encouraged to contact the Knik Tribe to coordinate sending samples in for testing. The toxicity results will help inform about toxicity risks.