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General Information

Event name: US-98-020
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
 Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
 Shellfish , Humans
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 2,442 µg STXeq / 100 g.)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (November 1997 to January 1998 - harvest closures in South Puget Sound, especially in Case Inlet (PSP = 6,799 µg) and extending to Pickering, Pitt, and Peale Passages, and Eld Inlet. This was a new high record PSP level for South Puget Sound. Areas were closed that had no previous record of PSP.)
Individuals to contact: COX, Frank

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: South Puget Sound., Washington.
HAB Area code(s): US-24
Additional location information: Carr Inlet, including Burley Lagoon, and Pitt Passage.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information: August 98.

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Alexandrium catenella ( cells/L)
Probably
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus:
Chlorophyll concentration, if known: µg/l
Additional bloom information:
Event-related bibliography:

Environmental Conditions

Weather: Turbidity (NTU): Wind direction:
Stratified water: No Oxygen content (nL/L): Wind velocity:
Temperature (°C): Oxygen saturation %: Current Direction:
Sechhi disk (m): Salinity: Current Velocity: 0
Nutrient information:
Temperature Range During Event: Max: °C, Min: °C
Salinity Range During Event:
Bloom location in the water column:
Growth:
In situ
Growth Comments NO data available, but probably in situ growth at least in Carr Inlet
Additional Environmental information: No data available

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Blue mussel Saxitoxins STX eq 2,442 LC
Geoduck clams in Pitt Passage Saxitoxins STX eq 1,015 LC
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information:
Economic losses:
Management decision: harvest closure in July and August in Carr Inlet; geoduck closure in Pitt Passage from July to September.
Additional harmful effect information: Five cases of PSP occurred from consumption of blue mussels from a commercial shellfish company located at the north end of Carr Inlet.