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General Information

Event name: US-01-013
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
 Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 1,575 µg STXeq /100 g)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector): Blue Mussels, Geoduck Clams, Manila Clams, Pacific Oysters.
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes (WA Dept. of Health, office of Food Safety & Shellfish Programs, Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program.)
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (Most of the inlets of Central Puget Sound have had previous PSP closures.)
Individuals to contact: COX, Frank

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Central Puget Sound: Pierce, King, Kitsap Cou, Washington.
HAB Area code(s): US-24
Additional location information: Central Puget Sound areas located in Pierce, King, Kitsap Counties.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information: Dates of quarantine levels: 18/07/01 - 28/11/01. Both recreational and commercial shellfish closures began in July, 2001. The Commercial closures were lifted by the end of October, while some recreational closures continued for all species or for Butter Clam only closures into the new year.

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Alexandrium catenella ( cells/L)
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: Yes 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:
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Blue mussels Saxitoxins STX eq 1,575 Bioassay-Mouse
Geoduck, Manila clams, Pacific oysters Saxitoxins STX eq Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information: Blue Mussels - most toxic species. 1,575 µg/100g of shellfish tissue on 20/08/01 in Blue mussels.
Economic losses: Recreational and commercial shellfish harvest seasons were interrupted, causing an economic loss to the Central Puget Sound Washington communities.
Management decision: DOH closed shellfish harvesting at impacted areas to protect public health.
Additional harmful effect information: