TIMES RECORD • October 13, 2026
An algae bloom that wiped out shellfish in parts of Casco Bay is dissipating as town officials and scientists assess the extent of the mortality and its impacts on the harvesting industry. Officials have been monitoring a bloom of the phytoplankton Karenia mikimotoi — which is not harmful to humans but puts significant stress on shellfish — since it was reported in Casco Bay in early September. Phytoplankton cell counts are declining in inner Casco Bay, the nonprofit Friends of Casco Bay said in an Oct. 9 update. But some areas are continuing to see fallout from the bloom, as low dissolved oxygen levels suffocate shellfish.