General Information

Event name: US-23-021
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Shellfish
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: Maximum PSP toxins: 142µg/100g tissue.)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes (Marine Biotoxin Program at the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Environmental and Health and Safety)
Event occurred before in this location: Yes
Individuals to contact: BORCHERT, Jerry , BARRY, Tracie

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: ,
HAB Area code(s): US-24
Additional location information: PSP exceeded the regulatory action level in Port Gamble Bay in September and October of 2024.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd): First detection: 2023-09-01, End: 2023-10-31
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Alexandrium spp. ( cells/L)
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: Oxygen content (nL/L): Wind velocity:
Temperature (°C): Oxygen saturation %: Current Direction:
Sechhi disk (m): Salinity: Current Velocity:
Nutrient information:
Temperature Range During Event: Max: °C, Min: °C
Salinity Range During Event:
Bloom location in the water column: Whole column
Growth:
In situ
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Blue Mussels Saxitoxins 142 ug/100g Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information:
Economic losses: Recreational shellfish harvest seasons were interrupted, causing an economic loss to Hood Canal Washington communities.
Management decision: Recreational shellfish harvests were closed in Quilcene Bay.
Additional harmful effect information:
Created at 09:58 on 8 Apr 2025
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES


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