Sense Question:

What will be the influence of climate change on the occurrence of shellfish toxins along the North Atlantic/North Sea coasts? (Prof Dr J. de Boer, IVM-VU, Amsterdam)

Relevance of this question:

Shellfish cultures are an important marine food source. There is an increasing trend in the occurrence of paralytic, amnesic and diarrhetic shellfish toxins produced by various algae. Increasing water temperatures may cause i) a higher frequency of (toxic) algae blooms and ii) blooms of other algae that may introduce other toxins in the North-west European waters shellfish.