The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is continuing to monitor an extensive bloom of the phytoplankton Karenia mikimotoi in the Casco Bay region. Based on aerial observations and shore based water sampling, the bloom appears to extend from Cape Elizabeth to the New Meadows River.  Phytoplankton counts from around the affected area were as high as 44 million cells per liter of seawater earlier in the week, but have significantly declined in most areas to less than 10,000 c/L based on sampling results from today (9/29).