On March 29, Carlsbad Police officers responded to a call about a sea lion stranded on a stretch of Carlsbad Boulevard near Island Way (between Poinsettia Lane and Palomar Airport Road).

The animal was showing signs of domoic acid poisoning, a condition caused by a harmful algal bloom that has been affecting marine mammals along the coast since last summer. The bloom produces toxins that accumulate in fish and shellfish, which can sicken the sea lions, dolphins and birds that eat them.

Officers kept the animal protected from traffic until SeaWorld’s Rescue Team arrived. The sea lion is now receiving professional care at SeaWorld.

What you need to know

The toxins in these algae do not generally pose a risk to people swimming at the beach. Most Carlsbad beaches remain safe to enjoy. However, some areas are under separate water quality advisories based on bacteria levels, which are common near lagoon outlets. You can check the daily beach water quality conditions at www.sdbeachinfo.com.

Shellfish warning

Because of the algae bloom, theCalifornia Department of Public Healthhas issued a series of advisories related to shellfish:

• Avoid eating sport-harvested mussels, clams or scallops from coastal waters in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties.
• No warnings are currently in effect for San Diego County, but state health officials recommend avoiding recreational shellfish harvesting as a precaution.
• Commercially sold shellfish from approved sources are regularly tested and considered safe to eat.

How to report stranded marine mammals

If you see a marine mammal in distress:

• Call SeaWorld Rescue at 1-800-541-SEAL (7325) or emailSSWC.Rescue@seaworld.com.
• Try to note the animal’s location, size, condition and time last seen.
• Thanks again to our Carlsbad Police Department and SeaWorld Rescue Team for their quick response.