Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR)

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Phytoplankton and Harmful Algal Bloom Training in Oregon

June 14-15, 2005

High levels of domoic acid, the toxin responsible for Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, have closed several popular beaches along Oregon 's northern coast. These levels of domoic acid in mussels (128 ppm) are the highest ever observed in Oregon. Closures of coastal shellfisheries have impacted a very vibrant and growing commercial and recreational industry. Therefore, Oregon risk managers wish to implement a program similar to the successful ORHAB (Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom) project in Washington State, which was initially funded by MERHAB in 2000, but is now self-sustaining. Such a program would use a combination of phytoplankton cell counts and rapid toxin tests to be able to provide Oregon shellfish and health managers with an early warning for potential toxin related closures. By observing toxic HABs, risk managers can then allocate sampling and monitoring resources more effectively and efficiently, reducing costs of their monitoring program. Such a program in conjunction with ORHAB in Washington State could provide a highly useful regional tool for risk managers in both states.

In a response to requests from Oregon shellfish managers, ORHAB personnel conducted a workshop sponsored by the CSCOR Harmful Algal Bloom Event Response Program. Approximately 12 representatives from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Agriculture Shellfish Program, University of Oregon, and Oregon State University attended the workshop.

The Hatfield Marine Science Center provided a classroom, microscopes, and laboratory space for the workshop. Dr. Rita Horner of the University of Washington (ORHAB partner) conducted classes on identifying various potential harmful algae with specific emphasis on Pseudo-nitzschia, the diatom responsible for domoic acid production. ORHAB technician Anthony Odell (UW ONRC) demonstrated field sampling techniques for collecting net and water samples from the surf. Brian Bill (NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center) demonstrated proper handling of water samples and techniques for filtering and storing cells for later toxin determination. Toxin levels in both shellfish and collected seawater and samples were determined using rapid toxin tests, produced by Jellett Rapid Testing, Ltd. Representatives from Jellet Ltd, Dorthy Easy and Hywel Morgan demonstrated the ease and expediency of using these methods. Because not all species of Pseudo-nitzschia are toxic, Jellett kits can be used to give a semi-quantitative determination of total toxicity. The ORHAB partnership has shown that this simple combination of microscopic cell counts and Jellett Rapid testing for toxin in phytoplankton can provide risk managers up to a two week early warning of shellfish toxicity.

• CSCOR Event Response
• Monitoring and Event Response (MERHAB)
• Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB)

Related Links

• Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) Partnership
• Oregon Department of Agriculture Shellfish Program — Shellfish Closure Status
• Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
• NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center