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General Information

Event name: US-06-018
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
 Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
 Shellfish
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 996 micrograms in blue mussels)
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 Shellfish and Water Protection, Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program)
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (Some of hte inlets of South Puget Sound have had previous PSP closures)
Individuals to contact: COX, Frank

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: South Puget Sound, Washington State, Pacific Northwest
HAB Area code(s): US-24
Additional location information: Carr Inlet, Half Passage, North Tacoma Narrows and Nisqually Reach are areas that closed and had a previous history of PSP closures.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Event Date:2006-08-08
Start: 2006-08-08, End: 2006-11-16
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information: Bloom: Pierce County: Recreational closure- Carr Inlet 10/23/06 -- 11/16/06, Hale Passage 9/7/06 -- 11/3/06, North Tacoma Narrows 8/8/06 -- 11/3/06. Commercial PSP closures: Wyckoff Geoduck Tracts closed on 10/13/06 and reopened on 12/8/07

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 (Most Toxic) Saxitoxins 996 micrograms/100 g Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information: Max. concentration was 996 micrograms/100 grams shellfish tissue on 9/5/06 in Blue Mussels at Tacoma Narrows.
Economic losses: Recreational shellfish harvest seasons were interrupted, causing an economic loss to the South Puget Sound Washington communities.
Management decision: DOH closed shellfish harvesting at impacted areas to protect public health.
Additional harmful effect information: