Chignik Lake

High levels of PSP toxins have been found in razor clams in Chignik Lagoon and blue mussels in Sand Point, Alaska, making them unsafe to eat and potentially causing paralytic shellfish poisoning, with no known cure.

The Tsunami Warning Center recorded waves of less than 1 foot above normal as a result of the earthquake.

Satellite and webcam views indicated low-level ash emissions from Mount Veniaminof volcano. The ash plume did not rise above 10,000 feet, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said. Minor ash deposits are visible at the volcano, located 480 miles southwest of Anchorage.

People in Kodiak, Homer and Sand Point were among those who headed to higher ground after the quake prompted a tsunami warning from the Alaska Peninsula to the western Kenai Peninsula.

Over the summer, drought and damages to Chignik Lagoon’s water distribution system left the village without drinkable water. The state issued a boil water notice in July, and the wells were dry by August. Residents relied on Packers Creek to supplement their needs through October. Now those worries have subsided; at the end of October …

Unidentified squid caught by rod and reel off the beach.

Juveniles and sub adults live and migrate in open water at shallow to moderate depths. They move to the bottom as adults when they settle around sea mounts in the North Pacific.

As of Tuesday, the wells at Chignik Lagoon, population 150, are completely dry.

The water well is dry due to a lack of rain, and the village’s distribution system is damaged. As of Thursday, residents had only 5,000 gallons of drinkable water left.

Chignik Lagoon has been unable to produce enough water from their wells and has been pulling water from a creek since the beginning of June and subsequently have not been able to refill their water storage tank. The issue has been compounded by several substantial leaks in the water system. They have experienced up to 2 feet of water loss from their tank in one day.

While some parts of Bristol Bay have had record-breaking years, one South Peninsula village hasn't been as lucky. After a year and a half of bad runs, Chignik Bay is worried about the survival of the community.

The Department of Health and Social Services reports a person experienced PSP symptoms after eating a clam harvested near Perryville on the Alaska Peninsula.

"Sockeye salmon harvest has been pretty constant for the last four years or so, but pink salmon has been oscillating," he said. "We were forecasting almost 70 million pink salmon harvest, and we had 40 million.

As of Friday afternoon, the sockeye escapement in the Chignik salmon fishery was less than half of what it usually is this time of the year.

There is really only one thing to talk about in Chignik Bay these days: Where are the sockeye?

Unusually fast flooding on the Chignik River.

Beaver activity impacting water level

Second sea otter stranding in one week.

Community wonders about cause of illness.

Blue Heron near Humpback Bay