General Information

Event name: US-24-022
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Shellfish
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: California Mussel (Mytilus californicus) 840 µg/100 g, bay mussel 71 ug/100 g, pacific oyster 65 ug/100 g)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes (California Department of Public Health - Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program)
Event occurred before in this location: Yes
Individuals to contact: ZUBKOUSKY-WHITE, Vanessa

Location & Date

[View larger map]
Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: California - Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey Counties,
HAB Area code(s): US-21
Additional location information:
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd): First detection: 2024-07-01, End: 2024-09-09
Additional date-related information: PSP detected (< 80 ug/100 g) May-November

Microalgae

Causative organism known: No
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:
Growth:
In situ
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Cultured Bay Mussels Saxitoxins 71 ug Bioassay-Mouse
California Mussels Saxitoxins 840 ug/100g Bioassay-Mouse
Pacific Oysters Saxitoxins 65 ug Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: Type of kit used:
Additional information: Shellfish homogenates are received on ice, extracted, and a Neogen rapid test determines whether the mussel sample is positive or negative. Mussel samples that are positive on NeoGen are then tested using a mouse bioassay to determine concentration of PSP toxins. All other species are only tested with mouse bioassay.
Economic losses:
Management decision: Shellfish harvesting closures
Additional harmful effect information:
Created at 10:12 on 10 Apr 2025
Updated at 03:24 on 11 Apr 2025
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES