General Information

Event name: PT-95-021
Country: PORTUGAL
Nature of the harmful event:
Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 183 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 (Since 1986, with a break in 1991, G. catenatum has been the responsible species for PSP at the Portuguese coastal zone. In 1993 and 1994 all the coast has been affected beginning in the South and spreading to the North. This year the winter occurrence at the northern coast is, as far as we can understand, due to the 1994 toxication. In 1995 the main affected area was Algarve coast, in an extensive way, covering all litoral, sea Lagoons and Estuaries.)
Individuals to contact: SAMPAYO, Mª Antonia , VILARINHO, Mª da Graça

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Sines coast.,
HAB Area code(s): PT-05
Additional location information:
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Event Date:1995-01-05
Start: 1995-01-01, End: 1995-01-15
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Gymnodinium catenatum ( cells/L)
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus:
Chlorophyll concentration, if known: µg/l
Additional bloom information: Highest concentration 1,700 cells/L August 30.
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: 22 °C, Min: 14 °C
Salinity Range During Event: Max: 37, Min: 20
Bloom location in the water column:
Growth: Advected
In situ
Growth Comments A combination of both.
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Mytilis edulis (January 5) Saxitoxins STX eq 183 Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information:
Economic losses:
Management decision: Bivalve species with PSP values over 80 µg/100g closed to harvest.
Additional harmful effect information: Almost all exploited bivalve molluscs from this region presented PSP toxins.
Checked at 05:35 on 22 Feb 2018
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES