Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 54 - August 2016 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Exceptional climate anomalies and north wards expansion of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning outbreaks in Southern Chile Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), in partic- ular recurrent events of the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) agent Alexan- drium catenella, pose the main threat to aquaculture and public health in Southern Chile 1, 2. The development of measures to control these events or, at the very least, to minimize their im- pact requires a detailed understanding of the triggers for bloom initiation 3. A common factor underlying dinoflagel- late bloom initiation, termination and the long-range dispersal of cells in sev- eral important HAB speciesincluding A. catenellais the encystment, germi- nation and transport of highly resistant sexual cysts 4. The absence of large seedbeds observed in several studies conducted in the Chilean Island Sea 5, 6 suggested that A. catenella blooms are not the result the massive in situ germination events. Therefore, the ger- mination of dispersed cysts and trans- port of vegetative cells 7, are probably responsible for the intense prolifera- tions observed. Recently, Díaz et al. 6 suggested the inflow of offshore plank- tonic populations or cysts as a possible mechanism for the development and recurrence of blooms in this area. In 2016, an exceptional late summer bloom of A. catenellain terms of in- tensity and geographic extensionwas observed in Southern Chile. A remark- able northwards expansion of previ- ously PSP-affected areas, that reached the Valdivian coasts (3945S), was ob- served in the first week of May (Fig. 1). There were 12 cases of human intox- ication. This situation led the health authorities to enforce shellfish harvest- ing closures throughout extensive geo- graphic areas (up to 500 km) causing dramatic socio-economical impacts. This exceptional A. catenella bloom was associated with extreme hydrocli- matic anomalies, a consequence of the strong El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) recorded in 2015/2016 (Fig. 2). Weakening of wind strength, high positive Sea Surface Temperature (SST, Fig. 3) and negative rainfall anomalies were calculated. The total rainfall in the summer-autumn months preceding the A. catenella bloom (January-May) was 253 mm, 60 below the historic mean of 56 years (1961-2016, data not show). A maximum of 2.5 10 5 cells L -1 in integrated (0-10 m) hose samples was found at the outermost station in Chacao Channel (4145S, see Fig. 1) during the last week of April (Fig. 4), coinciding with a peak of 5 10 3 μg STX eq. kg -1 in PSP toxin levels in Pacific clams (Gari solida). Likewise, maximum levels of PSP toxins around 9 10 4 μg STX eq. kg -1 were recorded at the same time in surf clams (Mesodesma don- acium) from Cucao beach (Fig. 1), on the open coasts of Chiloé Island, 100 km southwards. From the second week of May onwards, a significant decrease of PSP toxin levels was record- Fig. 1. Map of the study area showing the geographic extension of the shellfish harvesting closures (dashed area) during the PSP outbreak. Content REGIONAL HAB EVENTS Northwards expansion of PSP outbreaks in Southern Chile . .... 1 Cochlodinium polikrikoides and hot dry seasons in Cuba...... 3 BENTHIC HABs Ciguatera moving south in Australia?............................................ 5 BHAB assemblages in Rawa Island, Malaysia............................... 7 Prorocentrum lima in Tayrona National Park, Colombian Caribbean........................................... 8 HABs REGIONAL TRAINING AND NETWORKING Training workshop on Benthic HABs in Hong Kong....... 10 Training course on HAB identification in Singapore.......... 12 NEW CODIMAR taxonomic guide........ 6 ASIMUTH Special Issue of Harmful Algae.............................. 14 ISSHAS Corner Last news on ICHA 2017 ! ...... 15 (see on p. 6) Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 54 - August 2016 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Exceptional climate anomalies and north wards expansion of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning outbreaks in Southern Chile Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), in partic- ular recurrent events of the P 6. Díaz PA et al. 2014. Harmful Algae 40: 9-22 7. Molinet C et al 2003. Rev Chil Hist Nat 76: 681-698 Authors Cristina Hernández, Laboratorio Salud Pública, Seremi de Salud Región de Los Lagos, Crucero 1915, Puerto Montt, Chile Fig. 2. Evolution of the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) from 1950 to 2016. e Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms in southern Cuba during anomalous hot dry seasons (average depth, 1.2 m) estu- ary fed by the Arimao River. This wetland is on the south- west of the semi-enclosed Bay of Cienfuegos (southern Cuba) and connected to it by a single channel. The area is subject to two periods (April/May 2005 and January 2015) 8-9. During the 2015, a bloom of C. polykrikoides was also recorded in channels of a small marina from Hava- na, north-western Cuba, in September, without apparent damage to marine life 10. Acknowledgements Fig. 2. C. polykrikoides (A) and dead blue crabs (C Is Ciguatera moving south in Australia? Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP) is well- known in tropical regions around the world, including the Pacific. The illness occurs through the consumption of fish that have accumulated naturally occur- ring ciguatoxins (CTXs) produced by the dinoflagellate genus Ga ic CTX) 8. The illnesses occurred be- tween February and April each year in NSW (Fig 1), coinciding with the peak Spanish mackerel fishing season. There is an apparent southern expansion of the geographic range of CFP along the east coast of Australia (Fig. 1). The catch locations of the fish from t A survey of BHAB assemblages utilizing the artificial substrate method in Rawa Island, Malaysia Benthic dinoflagellates are marine tychoplanktonic inhabitants on the natural substrates of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical coastal wa- ters. These dinoflagellates are associ- ated with their pref Annual variability of Prorocentrum lima and abiotic factors in Chengue Bay, T ayrona National Park, Colombian Caribbean Fig. 1. Study area where samples of Thalassia testudinum were collected. Chengue Bay (black star), Tayrona National Park, Colombian Caribbean Prorocentrum lima is a cosmopolitan s del Mar -CECIMAR (sede Caribe) y Pro- grama de Postgrados en Biología - Línea Biología Marina ( contribution 430 ). Thanks also to the Banco Español de Algas de Gran Canaria, in particular to Mr. E. Soler Onis, and to the Jardin Bo- tánico Canario Viera y Clavijo for sup- port with the SEM, and to t Training Workshop on the Culturing and Identification of Benthic Harmful Marine Dinoflagellates A Training Workshop on the Culturing and Identification of Benthic Harmful Marine Dinoflagellates was held in the State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollu- tion (SKLMP), City University of Hong Kong between 1 Fig. 1. Participants in the workshop at the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, 14-21 June, 2016. Fig. 2. Demonstrating basic techniques in BHAB culturing (Po Teen Lim, Chung-Kuang Lu, Chui Pin Leaw and the participants). HARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 54 / 2016 11 Regional Training Course on Identifica tion of Harmful Algal Bloom Species in the ASEAN Region, Singapore, 18 th -22 nd July 2016 Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can cause major environmental disturbances, severe economic loss to industries, fisheries and tourism, and also pose significant health risks Participants were encouraged to orga- nize local or regional training courses to train more experts on harmful algae identification. The IOC WESTPAC-HAB working group shall assist local groups in training their local community by sending suitable trainers to the training workshop and by providing te ASIMUTH special issue of Harmful Algae The European Commission (EC) 7th Framework Programme (FP7) project Applied Simulations and Integrated Modelling for the Understanding of Toxic and Harmful Algal Blooms (ASI- MUTH) ran from 2010-2013. It involved 11 partners from Portu- gal, Spain, France, Irela Last News on the 17 th ICHA The local and international organizing committees are busily planning the 17 th International Conference on Harmful Algae (17 th ICHA), in Florianopolis, Bra- zil from 9 th -14 th October 2016. For the first time in history, Latin America will host the conference and is l Forthcoming events Seafood Safety: New Findings & Innovation Challenges Brussels, 25-26 January 2017 Deadline for registration: 15 January 2017 (early bird 25 November 2016). Abstract submission deadline: 15 October 2016. www.ecsafeseafoodconference.com 11th International Conference on Modern and Fo