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General Information

Event name: CA-94-006
Country: CANADA
Nature of the harmful event:
 Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 4,600 µg STXeq/ 100 g)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes (Department of Fisheries & Oceans Inspection Laboratory.)
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (Shellfish areas are closed in the Bay Fundy annually (generally during summer months) due to unacceptable levels of PSP toxins.)
Individuals to contact: MARTIN, Jennifer

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Northwestern Bay of Fundy., Scotia Fundy Region
HAB Area code(s): CA-22
Additional location information:
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Event Date:1994-06-28
Start: 1994-06-28,
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information: The majority of shellfish harvesting areas were closed to harvesting either for some time during or for the duration between late May and mid-August.

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Alexandrium fundyense (53,856 cells/L)
June 28 at Deadmans Harbour
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus:
Chlorophyll concentration, if known: µg/l
Additional bloom information: Although cells were observed throughout the region, highest concentrations observed during 1994 were 53,856 cells/L on June 28th at Deadmans Harbour.
Event-related bibliography:

Environmental Conditions

Weather: Turbidity (NTU): Wind direction:
Stratified water: Oxygen content (nL/L): Wind velocity:
Temperature (°C): Oxygen saturation %: Current Direction:
Sechhi disk (m): Salinity: 32 Current Velocity: 0
Nutrient information:
Temperature Range During Event: Max: 12 °C, Min: 6 °C
Salinity Range During Event:
Bloom location in the water column:
Growth: Advected
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Mytilus edulis (July 12, Beaver Harbour) Saxitoxins STX eq 4,600 Bioassay-Mouse
Mya arenaria, July 5, Crow Harbour Saxitoxins STX eq 3,400 Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: Type of kit used:
Additional information:
Economic losses:
Management decision: Shellfish harvesting areas were closed to harvesting during the time when levels of PSP toxins were greater than 80 µg/100 g. The Bay of Fundy is also closed to the harvesting of blue mussels throughout the year.
Additional harmful effect information: Extractions were conducted at the Department of Fisheries &Oceans Inspection Laboratory at Black's Harbour, New Brunswick.
Updated at 08:20 on 25 Sep 2013