Since the devastating 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, which damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant, there have been concerns about radiation impacts to Alaska. The Division of Environmental Health (DEH) has been coordinating with the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS) Division of Public Health as well as other state and Federal agencies, the Pacific states, and Canada to continuously assess the situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant and address radiation-related concerns in Alaska.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is the lead agency on food safety. Both FDA-regulated food products imported from Japan and domestic food products, including U.S. seafood, have been tested. FDA has found no evidence that radionuclides of health concern from the Japanese nuclear power plant disaster are present in the U.S. food supply. Additional information regarding response and testing can be found on their website here.
The safety of fish and shellfish from Alaskan waters and beaches are not affected by the nuclear reactor damage in Japan. However, they are still subject to local toxins, such as paralytic shellfish poisoning.
