General Information

Event name: US-03-002
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Humans
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: Mussels: 168 µg STXeq /100 g; oysters: 59 µg /100 g)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector): Mussels.
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes (Uniform sampling program at Kachemak Bay East)
Event occurred before in this location: No
Individuals to contact: OSTASZ, Michael J.

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: 59.583333, Longitude: -151.300000
General location information: Peterson Bay, Alaska.
HAB Area code(s): US-25
Additional location information: Covered (red coloration) multiple area in Tutka Bay and Kastsna Bay
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Event Date:2003-05-08
Start: 2003-05-08,
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information: Final date: open 8/5/03 and closed bay 8/8/03 to all mussel harvesting.

Microalgae

Causative organism known: No
Causative Species/Genus:
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus: Rhizosolenia sp. ( cells/L)
Chaetoceros sp. ( cells/L)
Ceratium sp. ( cells/L)
Dinophysis sp. ( cells/L)
Found in grab water sample
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:
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information: Long dry, hot weather with no rain.

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Mussels Saxitoxins STX eq 168 Bioassay-Mouse
Littenecks Saxitoxins NDT Bioassay-Mouse
Oysters (initial) Saxitoxins STX eq 43 Bioassay-Mouse
Oysters (one week later) Saxitoxins STX eq 59 Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information:
Economic losses:
Management decision: Closed area via press release 8/8/03 for mussel harvesting.
Additional harmful effect information: Littlenecks in the general area had NDT.
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES