Environment
fromwww.mercurynews.com
3 weeks agoPhoto: Eerie bloom off of Northern California
A record-breaking toxic phytoplankton bloom across the North Pacific is visible from space and is harming marine life and regional fisheries.
This week we recorded almost 200 whales across South Australia, with 70 females and calves at Head of Bight, nine females and calves at Fowlers Bay and four females with calves at Encounter Bay. These are record numbers observed since 2016, Charlton said. We were hoping for a bumper year, and we're really relieved that there's a lot of whales around. It's a good sign that they still are recovering and coming to our waters this is a good sign of hope.
Update August 19, 2025: The Oregon Health Authority lifted its advisory warning of a harmful algal bloom on the Willamette River, stating "water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins in Ross Island Lagoon and the Willamette River...are below recreational guideline values for people." OHA continues to advise people be "alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms...[which] can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable."