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General Information

Event name: US-92-002
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
 Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 233 µg 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 1972; different areas of the coast affected in different years.)
Individuals to contact: HURST, John W.

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Kittery to Spruce Head., Maine.
HAB Area code(s): US-02
Additional location information:
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information: May - October.

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:
In situ
Growth Comments Seems to be in situ populations alog 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 Saxitoxins < 40-233 Bioassay-Mouse
Mya arenaria Saxitoxins < 40-42 Bioassay-Mouse
Spisula solidissima Saxitoxins < 40-66 Bioassay-Mouse
Ostrea edulis (in one sample) Saxitoxins < 40 Bioassay-Mouse
Modiolus modiolus Saxitoxins < 40-52 Bioassay-Mouse
Euspira heros Saxitoxins 96-175 Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information: Shellfish extracts and mouse bioassays prepared and performed at the Department of Marine Resources, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
Economic losses:
Management decision: Affected areas closed to the harvest of specific species.
Additional harmful effect information:
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES