Harmful Algal Information System: Event US-94-005

General Information

Event name:	US-94-005
Country:	UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:	Water Discoloration
Event directly affected:
Toxicity detected:	No
Associated syndrome:
Unexplained toxicity:	No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme:	Yes
Event occurred before in this location:	Yes (The bloom was present throughout the entire Peconic Bay system from 1985 through 1987, with densities occasionally exceeding 1,000,000 cells/ml. Cell numbers declined through 1988 and 1989, and were generally undetectable during 1990 with the exception of those from West Neck Bay (Shelter Island). During 1991, densities of up to 2,000,000 cells/ml in coecles Harbor (Shelter Island) and 1,000,000 cells/ml in West Neck Bay.)
Individuals to contact:	NUZZI, Robert

Location & Date

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Location:	Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information:	Moriches, Quantuck Bay and Shinnecock Bays., New York. HAB Area code(s): US-08
Additional location information:	The bloom was mainly concentrated in eastern Moriches Bay, Quantuck Bay and western Shinnecock Bay.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:	May-June with peak cell densities approaching 20,000 cells/ml, occurring in mid- to late May. A secondary bloom appeard in early September with counts up to 38,000 cells/ml.

Microalgae

Causative organism known:	Yes
Causative Species/Genus:	Aureococcus anophagefferens (200,000,00 cells/L) May-June. Aureococcus anophagefferens (380,000,00 cells/L) Early September.
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: 24 °C, Min: 14 °C

Salinity Range During Event:

Max: 29, Min: 26

Bloom location in the water column:

Growth:

In situ

Growth Comments

Probably in situ growth in Quantuck Bay, eastern Moriches Bay, and western Shinnecock bay, with other areas containsing advected populations. Both bays are subject to significant tidal flow through ocean inlets.

Additional Environmental information:

Dissolved oxygen: 6.8 - 9.0 mg/l.

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin

Toxin type

Toxin details

Max. concentration

Assay type

Kit used: No

Type of kit used:

Additional information:

Economic losses:

Management decision:

Increase the frequency of monitoring activities.

Additional harmful effect information:

Effects: Primarily aesthetic - water column discoloration (brownish) and reduced transparency. Effects on various shellfish species have previously been reported.