Response and Intervention System for Climate Change Induced Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) in Aleut Communities

Specimens were collected and analyzed from 21 communities extending the length of the Aleutian Islands where little
baseline data is available on the prevalence of PSP toxin. Samples were collected between April 22, 2006 and December 17, 2007.
Low levels of paralytic shellfish toxin were found. The field tests were confirmed by the Jellett Biotek laboratory, the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation, and NOAA Marine Biotoxins Program. Comparative analysis showed JRT as an efficient
method for rapid screening in order to eliminate shellfish containing low levels of toxin but this technique had a high
percentage of false positives.
Two communities, Sand Point in Alaska and Nikolskoye in Russia, participated in a traditional knowledge survey. The data were
analyzed by sociologists from Westat Inc., Rockville, MD. The current understanding by the communities of safe practices of
shellfish harvesting does not provide them with the means to determine the presence or absence of toxin.
Employing chemical analyses and sociological surveys, the project established a baseline for PSP occurrence and harvesting
practices that led to recommendations for setting up PSP monitoring by the communities. This is the first time such baseline
study has been accomplished in the Aleut region in Alaska and on Bering Island in Russia. The findings of this project support
the need for long-term monitoring for PSP in the region.
These datasets were archived as part of the North Pacific Research Board legacy project recovery effort undertaken by Axiom Data Science and NPRB in 2025. The goal of the recovery effort was to assess the NPRB-funded data projects from 2002 to 2014 and archive final data packages that were ready for publication to increase long-term accessibility and discoverability. Data packages were archived as is given limited funding and resources.