Harmful Algal Information System: Event CA-97-005

General Information

Event name:	CA-97-005
Country:	CANADA
Nature of the harmful event:	Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:	Humans
Toxicity detected:	Yes
Associated syndrome:	PSP
Unexplained toxicity:	No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):	Clams.
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme:	Yes
Event occurred before in this location:	Yes (PSP toxicity has been measured by the mouse bioassay technique on a regular basis since 1961 in the St. Lawrence. Algae are monitored at the coastal stations only since 1989.)
Individuals to contact:	LEVASSEUR, Maurice , SAUVÉ, Gilbert

Location & Date

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Location:	Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information:	Gaspe, Quebec Region HAB Area code(s): CA-09
Additional location information:	Penouille Station. Harmful algae are monitored on a weekly basis at 11 stations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since 1989 (See Figure 1 in the Complementary Information Form).
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):	Event Date:1997-07-02 Start: 1997-07-02,
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known:	Yes
Causative Species/Genus:	Alexandrium ostenfeldii (180 cells/L) Highest concentration, 2/07/97.
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

Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin

Toxin type

Toxin details

Max. concentration

Assay type

Kit used:

Type of kit used:

Additional information:

PSP measured by mouse bioassay.

Economic losses:

Management decision:

Shellfish areas with paralytic shellfish toxins concentration exceeding 80 µg STX equi./100 g (as determined by the mouse bioassay technique) were closed to harvesting during variable periods of time during summer months of 1996 and 1997.

Additional harmful effect information:

Paralytic shellfish toxins concentration have exceeded 80 µg STX equi./100 g (as determined by the mouse bioassay technique) at several stations in 1997. Two persons became ill after eating toxic clams near Havre-St-Pierre, an area usually toxin-free.

Updated at 08:58 on 25 Sep 2013