Isle Royale Forums

Trying to get read up on blue-green algae. After several articles that are way over my head still have serveral ?????
Is it a problem on the island this year?
Are the fish from affected lakes safe to eat?
I got it blooms but is it every year or just when things are right for it?
Planned trip is canoe and camping on chickenbone and richie, which seem to be most affected. Are these the only two lakes of concern?
Can it be spread lake to lake? Should we make plans to wipe boat down before portages?

I have never had to play with this stuff but it sounds like the Ebola of the wilderness. Can anybody give me some insight ( in words I don't need 3 bio degrees to understand)

Ok, I'm not a marine biologist, but having almost become a geneticist and loved biology, I'll note a quick overview that should NOT be considered "official information."

There are many, many types of cyanobacteria (blue-green), of which only some produce cyanotoxin, which is what is of concern. When there is an algae bloom, there is a concentration of those blue-green algae. To the best of my knowledge, the NPS has never conducted tests on the algae to determine if it IS of the toxin producing type, but rather has just issued a general caution regarding the bloom that it MAY be. The toxin is particularly effective on canines, and for humans the affect is mixed, both both physical contact and ingestion should be avoided.

Is it a problem on the island this year?
That's difficult to say,as it was a fairly late spring, which may keep the inland water temps cool. Blooms typically occur when the combination of nutrients and water temps are right. In the past, the blooms have appeared in mid to late August, if I recall.

Are the fish from affected lakes safe to eat?
I've found references on government websites that go each way. All recommend removing internal organs and fatty tissue, where toxins would concentrate. In all events, eating would be at your own risk. Given the number of other lakes you can fish, I would suggest to just move on..

I got it blooms but is it every year or just when things are right for it?
It hasn't bloomed every year, so it needs to have the right conditions.

Planned trip is canoe and camping on chickenbone and richie, which seem to be most affected. Are these the only two lakes of concern?
Those are the only two lakes that I can recall that have been recently impacted.

Can it be spread lake to lake? Should we make plans to wipe boat down before portages?
Theoretically, the bacteria is probably already present in all the lakes. Cyanobacteria is actually very common, and has been around since the dawn of time. Whether it blooms or not is the concern. However, given the concern for other aquatic pests, like spiny water flea, etc, it never hurts to apply an abundance of caution and wipe down a boat.

tom thanks for the info was very helpful. Think we are set and ready to go now, will be on the isle monday

There is a small black buoy just out from the canoe campground at Ritchie. I asked the Rangers and they said that they are monitoring the water temps at various depths to try and determine/predict the blooms. We filtered water from the middle of the lake and had a nice pike dinner and are not having any ill effects...yet We have the blooms in lakes around here so I have seen them when they are bad and didn't see anything similar on Ritchie. FYI we did really well on Ritchie on the west side of the bay south of the canoe campground (8/4/11). Have fun!

We were there at the end of July, and I asked specifically about the algae toxin. The rangers reported at that time that there were no bloom issues. They said it is seldom a problem, and when it is, it's toward the middle of August. However, they asked that if we noted a problem, we report it immediately. Also, we were told not to filter water where algae was thick. We've encountered ciguatera toxins in the Caribbean, and toxins can appear quite suddenly. It's a worry, so just keep your eyes open and be careful.

We were on IR last week July to first week August. McCargo to Chippawa. Met a couple Loon counters at Richie. They said that algae was not the toxic type. However, best to avoid. We wrap a coffee filter over water filter intake. Helps protect, prolong cleaning the msr filter. Found best fishing on Livermore and LaSage. Looking forward to getting back next year.

When I visited the Island on the third week of August, I asked the Rangers on the status of an algae bloom at Chickenbone/Ritchie. They indicated one hadn't occured yet. (As opposed to just normal levels of algae.) 2011 might hit the books as one of those years there wasn't a "bloom."