Fig. 3. Density (cells L-1) of Karenia spp. in water samples of the vicinity of the Gulf of Penas. nels, composed mainly of diatoms. Most Karenia (ex Gymnodinum) species produce toxins that can kill fish and other marine organisms when they bloom. In addition to toxicity, some Karenia blooms cause animal mortalities through the generation of anoxia and at least one species, K. brevis, produces brevetoxins that not only kills fish, marine mammals, and other animals, but also causes neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP) and respiratory distress in humans exposed to the toxic sea spray associated with the blooms [4,5]. Samples showed a high density of Karenia species (up to 65 x 103cells L-1; average of 19.4 103cells L-1) representing between 0 and 91% of the total phytoplankton community. Densities of Karenia spp. in the Gulf of Penas varied between 2 x 103cells L-1 (station 13) and 65 x 103cells L-1 (station 14), while stations around the Taitao Peninsula (18, 19, 20) showed densities of 31, 19 and 17 x 103cells L-1 respectively (Fig. 3). The distribution of Karenia spp. was restricted to areas with a high influence of oceanic waters, and was not recorded in Pulluche and Moraleda Canal (stations 21 and 22). The bloom of Karenia was multispecific, including a variety of forms resembling Karenia brevis, K. papilionacea, K. mikimotoi, K. brevisulcata and K. bidigitata. (Fig 4). The dominant Karenia form was Karenia sp 1 (Fig. 4c) and had an approximate width of 28.8 μm and length of 32 μm. The phytoplankton communities and environmental variables varied in the study area from typically oceanic, with upwelled waters with lower-pH and oxygen levels (Gulf of Penas and Taitao Peninsula), to those characteristic from more brackish waters from fjords and channels (Moraleda Channel). The oceanic phytoplankton was dominated by ichthyotoxic dinoflagellates of the genus Karenia, which were identified as the most probable cause of the mortality of the salmon in wellboats during their passage through the Gulf of Penas. The high toxicity of Karenia spp. was evidenced by the rapid death of salmons on board. Multispecific blooms of the genus Karenia have been described before [6]. Here we describe a multispecific bloom with the co-occurrence of at least 5 species of Karenia. The presence of multiple ichthyotoxic species of Karenia and the difficulty to observe features of naked dinoflagellates after fixation made identification to species level unattainable. There are studies in progress to describe the specimens after further examinations by scanning electron microscopy, and molecular studies. References 1. Uribe JC & M Ruiz 2001. Rev Biol Mar 36 (2): 155-164 2. Silva N & D Konow 1975. Rev Com Perm Pacífico Sur 3: 63-75 3. Brand LE et al 2012. Harmful Algae 14: 156-156178 4. Haywood A et al 2004. J Phycol 40: 165179 5. Meave del Castillo ME & ME Zamudio-Resendiz 2010. In: Pagou P & G Hallegraeff (eds). Proc 14th Int Conf Harmful Algae (ISSHA & IOC of UNESCO), pp. 111-113 Authors Fabiola Villanueva & Hernán Cortez, @FAN Spa., Calle Nueva 1 5171, Puerto Montt, Chile. Claudia Uribe, Asesorías North Patagonia Ltda. Asesorías Spa., Pasaje 6 Nro. 2051 Cardonal, Puerto Montt, Chile. Patricio Peña, Doctoral Programme in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School, Universidad Austral de Chile, Av. Carlos Ibañez del Campo, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, P.O. Box 567, Chile. David Cassis, AquaBC Chile Spa. Principe de Gales 8930, Santiago, Chile. Email: dcassis@aquabcconsulting.com Fig. 4. Light microscope images (400X) of different species of Karenia present in the vicinity of the Gulf of Penas. A) Karenia cf mikimotoi; B) K. cf digitata; C) Karenia sp1; D) Karenia sp 2; E) K. cf papilionacea/K. cf brevis. Size bar = 30 μm. HARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 57 / 2017 5 Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 57 - June 2017 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Unusual fish killing blooms of Tripos furca in Van Phong Bay, South Viet Nam In the beginning of November 2016, a phytoplankton bloom was observed by fisherman in Van Phong Bay, Viet Nam Fig. 2. Chl-a distribution in coastal waters of Khanh Hoa province during 14th October to 25th November 2016 (sources: MODIS-Aqua Level 2 images, NASA). Clear skies were observed on 14th October, and 11th, 13th, 15th, 22nd, 25th November, while the other days were very cloudy. High chl-a concentrati vung-sim-2461816/ 3. Nguyen VN et al 2014. In: Kim HG et al (eds) Harmful Algae 2012. Proc15th ICHA (ISSHA) pp 48-51 4. Hodgkiss IJ & Lu S 2004. In: Asian Pacific Phycology in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges, pp 215-229 5. Machida M et al 1999. Nippon Suisan Gakk 65: 755756 6. Mat Mortality of Chilean farmed salmon in wellboats in transit through a Karenia bloom Fig. 1. Geographic distribution of the stations sampled near the Gulf of Penas, Chile, between 31st January and 1st February 2017. A mass mortality of around 170,000 salmon, worth US$ 390,000, was recorded on wellbo Fig. 3. Density (cells L-1) of Karenia spp. in water samples of the vicinity of the Gulf of Penas. nels, composed mainly of diatoms. Most Karenia (ex Gymnodinum) species produce toxins that can kill fish and other marine organisms when they bloom. In addition to toxicity, some Karenia blooms cause A bloom of Amphidinium carterae in Ria de Aveiro, Portugal Fig. 1. Ria de Aveiro and oyster farm location. Amphydinium carterae is a benthic unarmored cosmopolitan dinoflagellate classed as a fish killer due to its capacity to produce hemolytic compounds such as amphidinols [1] and polyhydroxyl car Harmful dinoflagellates in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria, West Africa Fig. 1. Coastal map of Nigeria showing the study area. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are worldwide phenomena [1]. The increasing spread, frequency and severity of harmful algal incidents have been well documented and have led to the ble are toxic harmful dinoflagellates that produce a suite of toxins, including Alexandrium catenella and Gymnodinium catenatum (saxitoxins), Dinophysis caudata (okadaic acid congeners), and benthic HAB (Ostreopsis cf ovata, palytoxins, and Prorocentrum lima, okadaic acid). These toxins can directly Satellite detection of Trichodesmium blooms in the Southwestern Pacific and the Tonga trench [2]. This area coincides with high nitrogen fixation rates [3]. There are numerous correlations between the observations of surface mats in the ocean and high reflectance In the oceans, a large portion of t Fig. 2a) MODIS image of the Trichodesmium bloom with white and green mats between Vanuatu Islands and New Caledonia in December 2014; with Landsat 8 zooms on mats superimposed and the microscopic observation of Trichodesmium colonies in surface samples at the SPOT station visited with R/V Alis; b) P Plankton Planet in New Zealand Plankton Planet is the first citizen science programme designed for biological oceanography. It is a co-operation between scientists and volunteers from the sailing community based on mass sequencing of DNA barcodes from the extracts of plankton communities collected w Molluscan Shellfish Safety Conference in Ireland Over 230 international delegates from 27 countries participated in the 11th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety (ICMSS) from Sunday 14 to Thursday 18 May 2017 at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Convened by Irelands Marin 13th Session of the Intergovernmemntal Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (IPHAB) This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (IPHAB) established under the auspices of IOC of UNESCO. Over that period IPHAB has provided the international framework for region Forthcoming events will be held at the 10 Indo-Pacific Fish Conference (10 IPFC ), 2-6 October 2017, Tahiti, French Polynesia (https:// ipfc10.criobe.pf/). Organizers: Mireille Chinain, Susanna Piovano, Jean Turquet, Marie-Yasmine Dechraoui-Bottein (mchinain@ilm.pf; susanna.piovano@usp.ac.fj; Turque Scientific Committee Topics: Advances in the analysis of existing and emerging marine and freshwater toxins. Ann Abraham, FDA, US Mass spectrometry, molecular methods, toxicity assays, bioassays and screening tests. Arjen Gerssen, WUR, NL Structural characterization of new potential toxins. Ja the 18th international conference on harmful algae from ecosystems to socio-ecosystems SAVE the date! FATMA GUELLATI/UPMC-UNIV BADJI MOKHTAR Minyvel Environnement/Phenomer Nicolas Chomérat/IFREmer Véronique Séchet/IFREmer Olivier BARBAROUX/IFREmer Stéphane LESBATS/IFREmer Olivier DUG Ted Smayda in Memoriam 10 April 2017 This year the HAB and research community lost another giant intellect. Professor Theodore J. Smayda, (Ted as he preferred to be called) passed away after a period of illness. A graduate of the Braarud School of phytoplankton ecology of Oslo, Norway, Ted held uniq IV INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM, June 4-8, Washington DC Organized by ICES, PICES, IOC and NOAA Fisheries The 4th International Symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems and how to respond. The Symposium will Highlight the latest