Harmful Algal Information System: Event US-98-021

General Information

Event name:	US-98-021
Country:	UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:	Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:	Shellfish , Humans
Toxicity detected:	Yes (Approximate range: 10,982 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 (November 1997 to January 1998 - harvest closures in South Puget Sound, especially in Case Inlet (PSP = 6,799 痢) and extending to Pickering, Pitt, and Peale Passages, and Eld Inlet. This was a new high record PSP level for South Puget Sound. Areas were closed that had no previous record of PSP.)
Individuals to contact:	COX, Frank

Location & Date

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Location:	Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information:	South Puget Sound., Washington. HAB Area code(s): US-24
Additional location information:	Carr Inlet, including Burley Lagoon, and Pitt Passage
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:	October 98.

Microalgae

Causative organism known:	Yes
Causative Species/Genus:	Alexandrium catenella ( cells/L) Probably
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:	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:

In situ

Growth Comments

NO data available, but probably in situ growth at least in Carr Inlet

Additional Environmental information:

No data available

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin	Toxin type	Toxin details	Max. concentration	Assay type
Blue mussels from Burley Lagoon	Saxitoxins	STX eq	10,982	LC
Geoducks from Pitt Passage	Saxitoxins	STX eq	180	LC

Kit used: No

Type of kit used:

Additional information:

Economic losses:

Management decision:

Burley Lagoon closed from October to December; geoduck harvest in Pitt Passage closed from October to November.

Additional harmful effect information:

This second bloom in the same year also expanded into Case Inlet. Blue mussels were recalled from one company; geoduck recalls involved 5 commercial companies, including one tribal enterprise.