Harmful Algal Information System: Event US-95-012

General Information

Event name:	US-95-012
Country:	UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:	Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:	Shellfish
Toxicity detected:	Yes (Approximate range: 98 痢 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 (The last Oregon PSP alert began in June 1994 and continued into August. The 1994 closure included the south coast; PSP levels in mussels were higher at 280 痢/100g.)
Individuals to contact:	CANNON, Deborah F.

Location & Date

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Location:	Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information:	Catsop, Tillamook and Lincoln counties., Oregon. HAB Area code(s): US-22
Additional location information:	Oregon coast from Yachats to the Columbia River (ca.44.2-46.7 N), includes Catsop, Tillamook, and Lincoln counties.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:	Low toxicity in shellfish began 3/95. Mussels in Lincoln Co.

Microalgae

Causative organism known:	Yes
Causative Species/Genus:	Alexandrium catenella ( cells/L) Not confirmed
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus:
Chlorophyll concentration, if known:	µg/l
Additional bloom information:	Field staff trained to examine the species recorded and increased abundance.
Event-related bibliography:

Environmental Conditions

Weather:	Warmer than normal spring temperatures occurred in March and June. The summer was hot and sunny in July.	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:

Growth Comments

Not known.

Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin	Toxin type	Toxin details	Max. concentration	Assay type
Mussel (march)	Saxitoxins	STX eq	40 - 50	Bioassay-Mouse
Razor clams	Saxitoxins	STX eq	60	Bioassay-Mouse
Mussel (July)	Saxitoxins	STX eq	98	LC-MS

Kit used: No

Type of kit used:

Additional information:

Low toxicity in shellfish began 3/95. Mussels in Lincoln Co. were 38 痢/100 g in mid-March, rising to 40-50 痢/100 in May. Razor clams had levels in the 40's in June, never exceeded 60 痢/100 g, and remained in the 40's to the end of the year. Mussels peaked at 98 痢/100 g in late July.

Economic losses:

Closures increase the laboratory costs for the Shellfish Program.

Management decision:

Commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting (mussels and clams) was closed from the Columbia River to Yachats in July, reopened in August. Bays and estuaries were not closed. Commercial oysters and clams were lot sampled during the peak of the event.

Additional harmful effect information: