General Information

Event name: US-11-003
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Shellfish
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 99 - 391 µg PSP; 14.7-160.3 µg DSP)
Associated syndrome: DSP , PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector): PSP - blue mussels & California mussels; DSP - blue mussels
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes (WA Dept. of Health, Office of Shellfish & Water Protection, Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program)
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (The Strait of Juan de Fuca and accompanying inlets have had many previous PSP closures. This is the first DSP closure on record.)
Individuals to contact: COX, Frank

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Washington state, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Olympic Peninsula, Pacific Northwest
HAB Area code(s): US-24
Additional location information: Recreational shellfish DSP closures: In Clallam County: Sequim Bay closed on 08/08/11 and reopened on 10/21/11. Sequim Bay closed again due to DSP on 12/16/11 and is still closed as of 02/06/12.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Dinophysis sp. ( cells/L)
Alexandrium catenella ( 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:
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
California mussels Saxitoxins 430 µg Bioassay-Mouse
Blue mussel Okadaic Acid 160.3 µg LC-MS
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information:
Economic losses: Recreational and commercial shellfish harvest seasons were interrupted, causing an economic loss to the communities along the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Management decision: DOH closed shellfish harvesting at impacted areas to protect public health.
Additional harmful effect information:
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES