General Information

Event name: US-94-015
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
Water Discoloration , Mass mortalities
Event directly affected:
Shellfish
Toxicity detected: No
Associated syndrome: OTHER
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector):
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (Similar occurrence in 1984. Distribution, however, appeared to be more uniform during this time.)
Individuals to contact: STOCKWELL, Dean A.

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Galveston Bay to Sabine Pass., Texas.
HAB Area code(s): US-18
Additional location information: Coastal Texas-Galveston Bay to Sabine Pass, extending to Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana. Includes Chambers and Jefferson counties.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Start: 1994-05-01, End: 1994-07-01
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Gymnodinium sanguineum ( cells/L)
Heterosigma carterae ( 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 Suggestion of in situ growth, but data lacking.
Additional Environmental information: Coastal waters with blooms concentrating near passes, thus indicating a link with freshwater runoff. During this period abnormally weak, non-westerly, mixed directional surface currents prevailed.

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: None taken.
Additional harmful effect information: Effects: Water discoloration. Low concentrations of dissolved oxygen suspected as major source of mortality. Picture of mortalities becomes confused with coincidentally high mortalities in sea turtles, dolphin, and seabirds.
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES