Bloom development and transport of toxic Alexandrium fundyense populations within a coastal plume in the Gulf of Maine

Toxic Alexandrium fundyense blooms in the western Gulf of Maine (GOM) are a common occurrence, causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) each spring. In contrast, high A. fundyense abundances and PSP toxicity commonly occur later in the summer in the eastern GOM and the Bay of Fundy. The objective of this study was to determine if the bloom dynamics of the two areas are linked early in the bloom season when initial outbreaks of toxicity are reported. A. fundyense cell abundance and hydrographic data were acquired during three cruises in May and June, 2001 spanning areas of the western and eastern GOM. Surface drifters also were released into the nearshore coastal flow of the eastern GOM. These data provide a coherent view of the springtime evolution of toxic A. fundyense blooms in the GOM and the influence of both small- and large-scale circulation. Early in the bloom season (May), the bulk of the A. fundyense population was consistently observed in an alongshore band of cells in the eastern GOM associated with relatively low-salinity water (