Harmful Algal Information System: Event US-90-002

General Information

Event name:	US-90-002
Country:	UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:	Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Toxicity detected:	Yes (Approximate range: 3,060 痢 STXeq / 100 g.)
Associated syndrome:	PSP
Unexplained toxicity:	No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme:	Yes
Event occurred before in this location:	Yes (Every year since 1958, this areas has been affected beginning in mid-July of each year.)
Individuals to contact:	HURST, John W.

Location & Date

[View larger map]

Location:	Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information:	Winter Harbour to Robbinston, Maine. HAB Area code(s): US-01
Additional location information:	Canadian Border.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):	Start: 1990-06-01, End: 1990-11-30
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:	June - November

Microalgae

Causative organism known:	Yes
Causative Species/Genus:	Alexandrium tamarense ( 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:	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

Seems to be in situ populations along the Maine coast.

Additional Environmental information:

Data not available

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin	Toxin type	Toxin details	Max. concentration	Assay type
Mytilus edulis (meat)	Saxitoxins	STX eq	<40 - 3,060	Bioassay-Mouse
Mya arenaria	Saxitoxins	STX eq	<40 - 1,145	Bioassay-Mouse
Modiolus modiolus	Saxitoxins	STX eq	<40 - 1,280	Bioassay-Mouse
Placopecten magellanicus	Saxitoxins	STX eq	<40 - 2,480	Bioassay-Mouse
Arctica islandica	Saxitoxins	STX eq	<40 - 590	Bioassay-Mouse

Kit used: No

Type of kit used:

Additional information:

Economic losses:

Management decision:

Affected areas closed to the harvest of specific species.

Additional harmful effect information:

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning in shellfish. (Mytilus edulis, Mya arenaria, Modiolus modiolus, Arctica islandica, Placopecten magellanicus). Shellfish extracts and mouse bioassays prepared and performed at the Department of Marine Resources, West Boothbay