Blooms are often associated with low dissolved oxygen events and warm ocean water temperatures and weather changes – all of which we are, or have been, experiencing," said Kiemele. Farm owner Cermaq says it has deployed fish protection countermeasures that have already caused conditions to improve.

About 60 people from the Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w First Nation have been evacuated to Alert Bay after blue-green algae was found in their well water.